Back Pain/Discomfort after OHS

[jds]

Hello -

I am one month out of surgery for MVR. Sternum pain is almost completely gone - still a little dull ache and slightly sensitive to the touch.

But sometimes in the AM I have a backache right under one shouler blade or the other or sometimes both. Feels like a muscle ache as though I had over-exercised it but I am not (yet) doing back, shoulder, and chest exercises. Walking a lot though - 2 hrs a day at a pretty fast pace.

My wife suggests it may be from slouching to favor my sternum.

Has anyone else had experience with this?

John

 

[Ross]

As a matter of fact, I think we all did. While you were out, they virtually pinned your shoulder blades together which put major stress on the muscles and nerves. The only thing any of us found that helps at all is, believe it or not, massage.

 

[Ozmercy]

massage post surgery

massage post surgery

I agree with Ross. I found a guy who would come to my home and brought his own table. We talked ahead of time to make sure that he could do the massage without my having to lie on my stomach. It worked great. It was hard work for him but he was able to come once a week and worked out most of the knots. I looked for awhile to find the right person that was focussed on working with me on my issues. There are a lot of wierd masseuses out there and I wasn't into all the hocus pocus aspects of massage I justed wanted my back to feel better. I paid about $85. for an hour including tip.

 

[sue943]

Didn't try massage, but yes, back and particularly shoulder ache, right shoulder was really sore.

 

[WayneGM]

Hello -

I am one month out of surgery for MVR. Sternum pain is almost completely gone - still a little dull ache and slightly sensitive to the touch.

But sometimes in the AM I have a backache right under one shouler blade or the other or sometimes both. Feels like a muscle ache as though I had over-exercised it but I am not (yet) doing back, shoulder, and chest exercises. Walking a lot though - 2 hrs a day at a pretty fast pace.

My wife suggests it may be from slouching to favor my sternum.

Has anyone else had experience with this?

John

Yep, I'm one and a half years post-op, and I still have some shoulder, back, and neck aches that I didn't have pre-op. It used to bother me quite a bit, especially in drastic weather changes. I was better at forcasting weather changes than the weather man. I used to sit in one of those combination vibrator and heating pad things that fit on reclining chairs. I seemed to work. I also took Arthritis formual Tylonol when it was really bad. Now, the aches are less intense so I usually don't need to take anything, but they are still there. Sometimes, I still get a really sharp pain if I turn my neck too far back, for example turning to see out the rear window of the car.

 

[Bina]

Hi John,
I had alot of trouble with my right shoulder after OHS. It's not bad now, but if I move too much a certain way it will make a pop sound.
I wonder what the heck they do to us?
Slouching gives me extra or skipped heart beats...
My chair was set up with a pillow against my back so that I was always upright. No pain that way, but after long periods kind of tiring.
I'm still more comfortable with the head of my bed elevated.

 

[Bina]

Yep, I'm one and a half years post-op, and I still have some shoulder, back, and neck aches that I didn't have pre-op. It used to bother me quite a bit, especially in drastic weather changes. I was better at forcasting weather changes than the weather man. I used to sit in one of those combination vibrator and heating pad things that fit on reclining chairs. I seemed to work. I also took Arthritis formual Tylonol when it was really bad. Now, the aches are less intense so I usually don't need to take anything, but they are still there. Sometimes, I still get a really sharp pain if I turn my neck too far back, for example turning to see out the rear window of the car.

Hi Wayne,
Don't you find that your arms and shoulders get sore from bike riding?
I just sold my "farm to farm" transportation; a Honda moped, for that reason....

 

[WayneGM]

Hi Wayne,
Don't you find that your arms and shoulders get sore from bike riding?
I just sold my "farm to farm" transportation; a Honda moped, for that reason....

They do, but after 30 years plus of riding I'm not going to let that get in the way. If I did, not much point in going through the OHS in the first place.

Live to ride...ride to live!!!!

 

[hensylee]

they never told us they could hurt us, besides the surgery, while we are under the gun, did they? I got injured in a different surgery, couldn't walk. Still injured after about 4 yrs. After effects of the hip they knocked out of joint while I was asleep!

 

[ithicks]

I am at one month after surgery and am still having a lot of back ache (same exact spots you described). Massage has helped a lot!!! Fortunately on of my best friends is a massage therapist so she stops by every night on her way home to give me a massage on my back. The days that get skipped I can tell and my back aches.

Now if only I could walk 2 hours! That is awesome!

 

[ToFMom]

Sorry to hear you are experiencing the back/shoulder pain! My son is now 7 weeks post op for PVR (age 23). Actually his biggest "complaint" since the surgery is the HUGE knot in his right shoulder. He had had shoulder surgery on that shoulder 6 weeks prior to the heart surgery. They said they would pay particular attention to that shoulder during the surgery. It has been constant pain since then. He saw several doctors including a orthopedic specialist. They gave him muscle relaxants, but those didn't work. Also, prescribed physical therapy & that didn't work. Then he went to a chiropractor and that didn't help either. Pretty much the only thing left is to try is the massage. He plans on going to a masseuse as soon as he has time & the money! I don't think massage is covered under our insurance. He's kind of gotten "used" to the knot & doesn't say anything about it unless you ask him about it. It is interesting to read all the postings of others that have experienced this same shoulder pains & knots. Hopefully you will get help sooner rather than later! It's too bad we wasted all the co-pays on the doctoring for it, as he could have been seeing the masseuse sooner!

 

[67walkon]

Just when I am pretty calm, I find out there is something else to worry about!

Massage sounds like the ticket. Also, heat is very helpful for loosening up things likes that.

Hang in there, it will get better.

 

[Cooker]

I still have shoulder pain (right) from time to time. I will wake up and it will hurt like hell. I know I sleep on it and that that aggravates it but I also know they bent me damn near inside out during surgery. That's tough on a guy my age. I do find that warm showers and heated rub down helps.

Tom

 

[Sagebrush]

Left Shoulder

Left Shoulder

I always wondered why my left shoulder ached then after my 3rd surgery I fiqured it out. It has always been the left shoulder. I didn't discover this group until after my last surgery.

 

[lynn]

Ugh! This was the worst pain I had, after many muscle relaxers and heating pads I finally got over it! My surgeon's PA said "what do you expect when we open you like a clamshell!"

 

[jds]

thanks for all the info

thanks for all the info

Hi -

Thanks for all the info. For me, it has been my right shoulder blade or right under it that aches the most.

It had not occured to me that when they split my sternum, they would turn me inside out and over-stretch some muscles.

I'll get some massages.

John

 

[Philip B]

Back Pains

Back Pains

I agree with what others have stated about the stress and strain placed on us when they cracked our sternums and spread us open. The massage stuff certainly helps.

Opinions will probably vary on this, but I've also made some visits to a chiropractic clinic. My major area of pain is under my left shoulder blade and tends to radiate pain and tingling down my left arm. The doc (if you want to call him that) at the clinic did some work on me and the pain issues immediately disappeared for a couple of days. Biking and golfing brings the pain back.

I haven't made regular visits to the clinic, but it's been nice to have the pain issues disappear immediately when I have.

-Philip

 

[ithicks]

BioFreeze

BioFreeze

I was just thinking another thing that has helped (when my friend hasn't been available to give me my massage) is she has some cream called BioFreeze. It is like any icy-hot cream. I just have found that it has helped in relaxing the muscles somewhat. It isn't as good as a massage, but it is cheaper. Something that might help too.

 

[jds]

Talked with surgeon about back pain

Talked with surgeon about back pain

Hello -

I had my post-op checkup and asked the surgeon about back pain. He basically confirmed what others have mentioned about the causes - getting bent in a way you are not designed to be bent.

Specifically, he said there is a little room for articulation in the way the ribs attach to the vertebrae in back but the surgery pushes them further than nature intended. Ligaments get stretched and strained. In older patients with less flexible connective tissue, he says you can sometimes hear cracks and pops.

He said any treatment for soft tissue damage would probably help - massage, Ibuprofen (vitamin I?), heat, ...

John

 

[ALCapshaw2]

As everyone has stated, MASSAGE is the answer!

But $85 / hour ??? WOW !

I found a 'less expensive' (OK, CHEAP) and FAST solution:

My S.O. uses a Vibrating Disk Massager (about 2-1/2 inches in diameter) and runs it along the tight muscles as I direct her. She doesn't know beans about all the techniques of proper massage, but that little vibrating disk relieves INTENSE MUSCLE PAIN in a minute or two.

What more could a Heart Surgery Patient ask for?

Stretches also help, more for prevention / rehabilitation.
They do NOT seem to help as much as Massage when those INTENSE pains come on.

'AL Capshaw'