Total Knee Replacement -Burning Pain

I'm so glad to find this thread, even though last posting was 3 mos. ago.  Had right TKR 9 weeks ago and wondering if there's anything to ease the burning.  After reading all, I'm feeling lucky.  Although constantly aware, the burning is really bothersome at night.  However, I have been able to tolerate all taking Aleve twice a day and pain pills only before going to physical therapy, that being more intense than my home routine.  Has anyone gotten any relief from the burning using any rub on analgesic or cooling lotions?  I was just told the burning normally lasts 4-6 mos. and can last, to some degree, for one year!  Would love to find something to calm this down at night.

I sleep on my left side ,bring my right tkr over the left leg keep my knee out of the blankets and run a fan on my knee ..Happy to report the burning pain subsided around 12 weeks .In daytime Iused cold packs and icing .I still have that annoying numbness at the outer aspect of my knee .Just need more time ,the surgeon said it could take upto a year

My knee replacement was about 3 weeks ago and the pain and swelling is going down slowly.  Right now probably the hardest part is the taught skin from knee to foot with the feeling of a really bad sunburn.  The skin stings to the touch!  I have been using some lotion to ease this and that is helping some.  Icing and elevation are a real plus.  I talked to both my surgeon and PT (both excellent) and they agreed that it was unrealistic to always have the knee straight especially when try to sleep.  I now sleep on the couch so I can put my knee up on the back of the couch in a relatively comfortable position, and watch TV or read if I can't sleep.  Try to get those hours of sleep you can!!!  Also I'm dusting off the recliner this weekend and hope that helps as well..   Best of luck.  This thing just plain hurts.  I broke a bunch of ribs and a collarbone in July falling off my bicycle and I swear this is as painful because it is (for me) very difficult to find a position where I can drop off to sleep!  Hang in there to you all and thanks for this thread ....  it does help to know we are in this together!

I had my right knee replaced 3 weeks ago. I am off of crutches but still use 1 when I go out because I have a tendency to limp when my leg is stiff. Sleeping is still elusive! I am a side sleeper and it is nearly impossible to find a comfortable, fairly pain free position. Also even a sheet touching the knee is painful. Since I am the newest to this conversation I was hoping some of you could update me on your progress. I start outpatient physical therapy tomorrow. In home went well, even tho painful!! I am bending to 110 degrees after stretching. I don't understand why my calf and foot hurt so much!! Is this normal?? It hurts just to touch the top of my foot so I wear slippers when outside. I would appreciate any info I can get. Thanks

Cindy,  I had two total knee replacements several years ago.  I never felt it was a total success, but now I am having swelling in both knees and they burn like fire.  Wish I knew why this is as I never want that surgery again in my life!!

My wife Rigth TKR on 1/25/15 she still has the burning sensation on the bottom outside part of the knee and still can't walk without a cane or a crutch, she has been thru a lot of pain, it has been a long hard process, she puts ice on it every day and still does the exercises. Any advice or anything that will help? the doctor says all the symptoms are not unnormal even the swelling.

I also have burning knee pain after surgery I am 14 days out and reading the replies here has help me to know I'm not alone. My doctor told me and her pain from the surgery itself where they cut the nerves and that it will get better in time as the swelling goes down. I painkiller which are hydrocodone does not really help the nerve pain icing it several times a day does help.

I had my left knee TKR in early April ’15, and my right knee was done 11 days ago. I recovered very rapidly on the left side, so was optimistic that my right knee would fare as well. The surgeon warned me that “all knees are different” He was right – I’m having burning pain/sensitive skin similar to what others have described in this thread. It started several days after the surgery as swelling developed so I could tell it was related to the cutting and patching, but, on the advice of my PT I had my leg checked for blood clots at a nearby vascular clinic. The report was, fortunately, negative. It was good to find this forum and thread and now no longer feel alone with this problem.

I am icing for 30-40 minutes several times a day, and am trying to keep my toes above nose as much as I can. I am taking 2 Tylenol tabs 3x per day, so the discomfort is bearable. I can walk without a limp (although I use a cane on my PT ‘s advice) and am planning on returning to my normal exercise routine of 40 minutes  4-5x per week on a recumbent stepper by the end of the week.  I have started applying a small blob of Voltaren gel containing diclofenac that we get OTC from New Zealand (although I understand it’s now available in the US)  I have used this on sore places for a long time. We’ll see how it works in this application.. I’ll keep y’all posted.   

Thanks to all of you who have posted about this nerve pain.  I'm 7 weeks po with right leg tkr and the pain is still present.  I've stopped pain meds for the most part - only taking 1 oxy at night to sleep along with melatonin, if I absolutely cannot stand the pain. All things considered, I wish my Dr. had been more specific about possible issues. He said I would feel 70% better within 3 months and almost 100% within a year.  I have a list of "cons" that I was not prepared to deal with including the nerve pain.  I'm hoping some sort of topical ointment can be prescribed to help with this.  I don't want to be on pain meds all day as I don't like the side effects of those.  

I am 5 weeks post tkr and have just now slept two full nights without waking from the "nervy" pain. I've stopped taking Tramadol for that kind of pain. Neurotin seems to work much better for this, so I'm taking that with Tylenol. Hoping the sleep trend continues as I'm back working part time and need good sleep to function.  My progress seems to be going ok with my extension being the most challenging. Still can't get better than within 5 degrees of full extension, and that's passively. It's not that good when I walk. Bending is going great though.  Any tips for getting past this final barrier with straightening would be appreciated.  Thanks!

HI This is very early days and you will expiece all sorts of pain and discomfort for weeks to come .. Soory i just need to be honest its a painful old journey, and she will cry and feel down at times and burning is the healing process . But listen i am 12week on and it does get better .I still have aches and pains but its not to bad . Tell Mum to not be too hard on herself lots of leg elivating and cold compresses really help and keep talking all her meds . I wish her well and dont get down it will get better 

hello Cindy ..I am 7 weeks in to total knee replacment and feel for your Mum ! this has been the most difficult period of my life regarding pain that I have ever known ...the physio told me that the surgeon is so confident of his ability that I should not question why I seem to be getting worse instead of better ...the Surgeon said go home and use an exercise bike and put a 3klg bag on your upper leg when resting flat ..I did this and now am in more pain than ever...the burning in the side and back of the knee prevents me from sleeping and I so wish I had never had this procedure done !