Anybody get "zingers" (nerve pain)?

[2soreknees]

Wow wee zow wee I started getting these "electrical" zaps from my (TKR) knee. This was completely new and they woke me out of a sound sleep and continued the next day then gradually faded to once in a while. I call them Zingers. They make me jump, and yelp. Has anybody else had these? Any remedies? I know it's good the nerves are waking up but do they have to be so obnoxious??????????

Thanks
Tery

[Plumb]

Why yes,,, My quad and my right side .. had party after party.. You might want to call your OS and see what he suggests for your type pain.. I myself love lidocaine patches.. but depending on how strong your rebellion is .. and how much you can take it.. Your OS will ever be so happy to help you.. if you can not embrace the party.. I swear I had months of non sleep.. at times..

But in general.. there is good nerve pain and bad types of nerve pain.. that you want to jump on early if it is the bad type.. So my honest response to you is to bug your doctor and pick his brain.. The best out come could be he tells you .. your over worrying.. and that is not a bad thing to have some piece of mind.


Honestly.. I do not spell check..

[Elkay55]

Oh yes....... I had my TKR on Sept 22nd but had slow progress initially due to nerve damage and partial foot drop. I have these little zingers all down the front of my leg and over the top of my foot (which is otherwise numb). I've been told that they are good because it shows that the nerves are at least trying to wake up. They can be quite violent and, yes, they do make me give a little 'yelp' (whether in public or not!). I think they are quite funny. Don't feel the need to take pain killers because they are not constant. Whoops! there goes another one......

[2soreknees]

Thanks for the response, it is nice to know I am not alone. I see my OS on Wednesday so I will ask him what he thinks.
Tery

[westyswoods]

A word of caution, DO NOT TAKE THESE LIGHTLY, it could very well be the onset of your body healing in an abnormal way. I speak from experience in that four years ago I had a TKR. I felt all was going well until one week post surgery out of the clear blue no forewarning it felt like someone was sticking a hot knife in my incision. Literally put me to the ground. This continued and developed RSD. I was laying down scar tissue while healing that was abnormal and ended up having an MUA with little success. Four years post just saw my OS yesterday and have max flexion of 80 not good. Stay on top of this and be sure you understand the healing process good and bad. If you are having difficulty gaining range of motion use this forum as a second opinion and DO NOT TAKE YOUR OS answers as gospel. Ask the tough questions and educate yourself. I only wish I had been more vigilant and found this forum before now. The best to you.

Westy

[2soreknees]

Thanks for the advice. I am 6 weeks post op, and these zingers are the nerves in my quads waking up (according to OS and PT) Yes they hurt but not in my incision. I seem to have the scar tissue thing under control. being this is my 8th knee surgery I have had a lot of practice with scar tissue.

Tery

[kaylisbubba]

wow!!! i'm glad to see i'm not crazy..."zinger" is the best description i've heard. mine are knee to hip. i have been off pain meds for two weeks, but these things are killers. my phisio ther. says i am having issues with my sciatic nerve. i don't know if that is what's causing it or not. any suggestions? should i just tough it out? i am visiting with my kids and won't be home to see my os until february. i am using my families doctor while i am here. do you think if i got back on my pain meds these would stop?

[2soreknees]

I have not found that pain meds effect my zingers at all. It's nerve pain and it can be fleeting and hard to pin down-but none the less painful. If you are having trouble with your sciatic nerve that starts in your back and goes through your hip and down. You should really check with a doctor if it is disabling because it can be treated with specific stretches and other sorts of meds. Good luck.

[crankerchick]

I didn't have TKR (see my sig) but I got these "zingers" too I guess starting about 3 weeks after my surgery. Are your zingers like, lasting pain? Mine are just like a quick jerk. They were annoying at first because my leg or my whole body would twitch and the jerking action would hurt in my leg, but that's it. The zing itself didn't hurt, it was the resulting body twitch and movement of the operative limb that hurt.

I don't get them so much now and have never been woken from sleep because of them.

I do sometimes feel a jabbing, stabbing pain like someone is taking a pitchfork into my bone, but I just figured, I had my femur and my tibia sawed in half, so a little bone pain is probably normal, LOL.

[kaylisbubba]

thanks 2 knees....i have pt three times a week, one hour of exercise then an hour of manipulations and stretches. i am vert limited on what i can take med wise to gastric bi-pass surgery (no NSAID's, steroids, etc). i am presently about. i am presently about 1500 miles from my OS, but have an appt in Feb. will definately see if he can suggest something. this seems like a more serious problem than i thought.

[kaylisbubba]

c.c:

mine feel like an electric shock...and yep the jerk is quite alarming, too.

[crankerchick]

Well if it is any consolation, when they started, I just assumed it was nerves waking up and went on about my day. They probably happened 0-2 times a day for a few weeks and now I hardly ever get them, so they are certainly subsiding for me. And now that my leg doesn't hurt just to move it, the jerk isn't painful now either. I think it's kind of normal as long as it gets better.

[UK_Girl_!]

yes had these jerks - painful and scary as usually happened in my sleep - doc gave me some muscle relaxants which helped, he also suggested quinine if the relaxants didnt resolve the problem (but they did

[Plumb]

The nerve that is cut during TKR is the peroneal nerve .. The zingers are all around the area in the graphic above. Zinger pain in any other location.. I would go see your GP and explain your discomfort.. There is medication for nerve pain.

Or if your Quad was cut.. Non MIS surgery.. You might feel your quad acting up..and coming back to life

(Lidocaine patch junkie)

[2soreknees]

Plumb thanks for the picture! That is exactly where some of them come from - the others are from my quad (no I did not have MIS). I do have some lidocaine patches left over from previous knee surgery I will give them a try.

UK Girl - Quinine? What an interestinig inexpensive fix. i may try it, I am sick of being on meds...

It's interesting that everyone has the same sensation it's almost like an electric shock at least it is quick. Now if they wouldn't wait until I am almost asleep to have a massive party!

Tery