I have 4-5 scars on my back from surgeries over the past 15 years (11 of them!). In the past few months, there have been times when the scars have gotten puffy and painful. Just last night, they reached their most painful yet. It helps to rub them but hurts terribly when I first touch them. I finally put a Lidoderm patch on last night that my pain doctor prescribed for muscle pain, but for the first time, it didn't help that much.
My Chiropractor thinks this scar pain is caused by inflammation related to my Sjogren's. As he has said, I'm "just a body full of inflammation".
I have a long scar on my belly from C-sections and a hysterectomy, but that one doesn't do this.
Does anyone else have anything like this? If so, has anything helped? I can only use the lidoderm patches 12 out of 24 hours, so the other 12 they just hurt.
My stress level is reaching a new high today, which may be contributing to the higher pain levels. My son leaves for Kuwait tomorrow night on his way to Iraq. We'll be out of contact until he gets to Iraq sometime in Feb., which only makes me more stressed. I'm doing my relaxation exercises and trying not to stress, but it's not working. In the meantime, my scars are driving me nuts they're so sore and tender.
Thanks in advance for any help anyone might have,
A very stressed Tracy
Hi Tracy :)
I have a couple of minor scars and every so often they seem to get 'irritated'. I never really thought about it but maybe they are f'are related.
I had an umbelical hernia fixed when I was 11 (plenty of time to heal!) and the doc who did it fixed it at the same time he took my appendix out so it's the weirdest appendix scar in the world - a belly button with radiating lines. Anyway - every so often it gets a bit inflamed. I also have a scar on the back of one wrist and it gets red and itchy periodically too.
I'm sorry about your back. That must be extremely painful. Back pain just seems to affect everything. Your inflammation sounds significant. Mine is pretty minor - and maybe not the same thing at all.
I hope you get some relief soon.
Take care - Scottie :)
I had surgery on my back in July and from time to time the scar hurts and I find that rubbing it with one of my many rash ointments helps, then it just stops hurting.
Epson-
Are the rash ointments you use over the counter or prescription? I didn't think of it til you mentioned it that I used to get ketaprofen cream compounded by a local pharmacy based on a prescription by my former rheumatologist for sore areas. I'm going to call my pain doctor tomorrow and see if he can prescribe something similar to try on the scars. Thanks.
and Scottie, thanks to you also. I imagine if I'm having some type of inflammation in my scars, the very same thing could be bothering you. My scars cover 3 of my thoracic vertebra and from L3 down to my pelvis, then I have 2 that run perpendicular to my spine, one's about 5 inches out from the spine, so I have some pretty big ones back there. I just wish the size of the scars somehow correlated to the amount of relief I got from the surgery they were made for!
Tracy
Tracey, I am right their with you!! I have 11 surgeies as well, I am 34 and some bother me a lot. Itchy and burning at times. Course my recent one (dec 19th from a double fusion in my lower lumbar region) is of course the one that hurts the most right now.
It is worth a mention to your doctor to see if there is anything you can use. I use something that helps heal scars, I cant think of the name, and it sometimes helps. I hope you find relief soon!
Cortnee'
Tracy,
I have a drawer full of prescription cortisone creams for various rashes, one can only be used for two weeks before discontinuing for a week. I just grab one and slap it on.
Good Look Tracy And i hope the pain goes real soon. 11 Scars is quite a lot to have..... i've had six operations and i only have seven scars!!! Take Care And i hope you get better
Elise xx
P.S Will A bit of cream help? I used to get really sore skin rashes and i put some Sudocreme On and that used to help... You could give it a try.
I have a 2 inch scar between my underarm and breast where a benign fibroid was removed 3 years ago. It hurts on and off. I saw the breast specialist about it and they did an MRI and found nothing. The surgeon said that scars can hurt after several years. Drives me crazy sometimes.