Post-surgical chronic pain
Pain that persists beyond normal healing after surgery, addressed with non-surgical approaches once structural causes have been ruled out by your surgical team.
What it is
Chronic post-surgical pain is pain that develops or increases in intensity following a surgical procedure and persists beyond normal healing — generally at least three months — localized to the surgical field or the affected nerve distribution, once other causes have been excluded. Reported rates vary widely by procedure type (higher after amputation or thoracotomy, lower after many other surgeries), and it can carry neuropathic features. Structural causes are ruled out by the referring surgical team before this pathway begins.
Common symptoms & concerns
- Pain persisting three months or more beyond the expected surgical healing window
- Pain localized to the surgical site or its nerve distribution, sometimes with neuropathic features (burning, shooting, numbness)
- Pain-related anxiety or movement avoidance around the surgical area
- Comparatively higher reported rates after amputation, thoracotomy, mastectomy, and hernia repair specifically
Assessment & care
Assessment approach
Assessment begins only after your referring surgical team has excluded structural causes, then reviews the pain's pattern, timing, and any neuropathic features to guide a non-surgical plan.
In-scope care
In-scope care includes MET, physiotherapy, and trigger point injections where indicated, with mind-body practices available to address pain-related anxiety. Physical desensitisation and psychological pain-coping work address the physical and central-sensitisation components together.
Treatments used
Related questions
Generally at least three months beyond the expected surgical healing window, localized to the surgical site or its nerve distribution, once other causes are excluded.
Yes. Structural causes are ruled out by the referring surgical team first, and non-surgical approaches such as manual/exercise therapy, physiotherapy, and trigger point injections are typically used.
Pain-related anxiety and movement avoidance around the surgical site are common and are addressed directly, often through mind-body practices alongside physical treatment.