Pain Control

After surgery the pain you experience associated with arthritis should resolve within a few weeks.  However, there will be pain associated with the surgical approach and placement of the implants in your bones.  We will have you taking a number of nonnarcotic medications as well as narcotics if needed in the postoperative period. The medications are directed at minimizing the pain you experience.  We will use medication to diminish the inflammatory response of your body to the soft tissue trauma.  We will also provide medication to block the pain receptors in your spinal cord as well as the brain.  That said we cannot make this a pain-free experience.  Our goal is to make it tolerable for you to get up and get moving quickly. It Is also very important that you get adequate sleep.  So you may need medications at night for a few days longer than you need them during the day.   Most people are more aware of pain at night when they have nothing else to focus on.   There are a number of medical conditions that will affect which pain medications we select for you in the postoperative period.