Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhy NumbnessWhat Body Parts May Feel Numb After Surgery?ImprovementWhen Numbness After Surgery Is an Emergency
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Why Numbness
What Body Parts May Feel Numb After Surgery?
Improvement
When Numbness After Surgery Is an Emergency
Numbness after surgery does happen sometimes. Usually, before surgery, the surgeon or a healthcare provider will explain that you may experience this sensation; they should provide details about how long it will last and what you can do to manage it.
Call your healthcare provider immediately if you weren’t forewarned about the potential for feeling numbness or tingling after surgery. There may be a quick and logical explanation. Or it could be a sign of a complication the healthcare provider should explore.
Numbness is described as an abnormal sensation that can occur anywhere in the body.Sometimes, numbness may occur with tingling or a “pins and needles” feeling. Together, these form a condition known asparesthesia.
This article will explain the causes of numbness after surgery, how long it usually lasts, when it may be a sign of a problem, and when to seek emergency care.
Terry Vine / Blend Images / Getty Images
What Causes Numbness After Surgery?
Estimates vary and research is somewhat limited, but as many as 37% of people experience numbness post-surgery.Since most surgeries require anesthesia and one or more incisions, post-surgery numbness can result—especially if the surgery is long or invasive, which requires a greater amount of anesthesia and potentially larger incisions.
Numbness can occur after surgery for several reasons, especially if you receivedanesthesia. This group of medicines is used to blunt pain and sensation during surgery.
Anesthesia causes numbness on purpose. And it can last for hours or even days after surgery.Anesthesia may linger longer after surgery if anerve blockwas used.It is a more intense way of blocking pain that involves injecting medicine around a specific nerve or cluster of nerves.
Either way, numbness after surgery can be a blessing. After all, you can’t feel pain when you are numb to it.
Three other common reasons you may feel numb after surgery include being restricted in one position for a long time, the effects of being cut open, and damage to nerves.
Positioning
Remaining still on the surgical table for an extended period of time can cause numbness. And the longer the surgery, the greater the chance that numbness will occur.
You may know how this feels. After sitting too long with your legs crossed, one leg may “fall asleep." Or it may feel more like pins and needles.
The difference is, if your leg falls asleep during surgery you can’t shift to a more comfortable position. This is one reason why many operating rooms have padded surgical tables—to improve patients' comfort and well-being.
Incision Numbness
The area immediately around anincision(the surgical cut) is often numb after surgery. And it may continue to be numb for several months after surgery.
This occurs when the nerves that run through a surgical site are damaged. Feeling often returns in the months following surgery.
Related Nerve Injury
An injury that cuts a nerve can also lead to numbness beyond the area of the incision.For example, a severe cut on the lower leg could potentially cut through nerves. In this case, the area below the cut nerve could go numb.
It is also possible for a nerve to be cut during surgery, which may be unavoidable.
Surgeons who work on the face understand the potential for nerve damage. A slight amount of facial nerve damage could affect a patient’s ability to smile. It could even cause speech problems.
Numbness might develop soon after surgery if swelling disturbs the nerves. This becomes a bigger concern if a patient is placed in a hard cast or tight bandage.
Surgical Nerve DamagePermanent nerve damage can be a potential side effect of surgery. Talk with your surgeon so you understand the risks beforehand.
Surgical Nerve Damage
Permanent nerve damage can be a potential side effect of surgery. Talk with your surgeon so you understand the risks beforehand.
Numbness is most commonly felt around the area of an incision where nerves may be damaged during surgery.
Waking Up With Numb Hands: Causes and Treatment
How Is Numbness After Surgery Treated?
Numbness typically improves dramatically as the anesthesia wears off. Most patients experience a full recovery from numbness a day or two following surgery.
Nerve damage takes longer to resolve. It takes from six months to one year before physicians consider a recovery complete.
Of course, there are always exceptions. Some patients may need more treatment to restore the sensation they lost.
Think of yourleg feeling numbif you sit too long in the same position. Surgery raises the stakes since it also involves anesthesia and an incision. So it makes sense that you may feel numbness and tingling afterward and for a longer period of time.
Some home remedies to consider trying include:
In most cases, these sensations will go away after a few days. If numbness doesn’t improve or other symptoms appear, it’s time to seek medical attention.
Numbness is a serious condition that should be treated as an emergency if you:
Summary
It may help to think of numbness and tingling as natural side effects of surgery. They can occur because of anesthesia, inability to move during the procedure, the surgical cut itself, or irritated nerves.
In most cases, numbness lasts for only a day or two after surgery. But if it persists, and certain signs flare up, talk to a healthcare provider.
12 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.MedlinePlus.Numbness and tingling.Cleveland Clinic.Paresthesia.Reda B, Wong I.Postoperative numbness: a survey of patients after hip arthroscopic surgery.Orthop J Sports Med. 2018;6(5):2325967118771535. doi:10.1177/2325967118771535Johns Hopkins Medicine.Anesthesia.Su Y-K, Wang J-H, Hsieh S-Y, Liu X-Z, Lam C-F, Huang S-C.Incidence and risk factors for postoperative lingual neuropraxia following airway instrumentation: A retrospective matched case-control study.PLoS ONE.2018;13(1):e0190589. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0190589Neal JM, Bernards CM, Hadzic A, et al.ASRA practice advisory on neurologic complications in regional anesthesia and pain medicine.Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2008;33(5):404–415. doi:10.1016/j.rapm.2008.07.527Kuponiyi O, Alleemudder DI, Latunde-Dada A, Eedarapalli P.Nerve injuries associated with gynaecological surgery.The Obstetrician & Gynaecologist. 2014;16:29–36. doi:10.1111/tog.12064Azizzadeh B, Mashkevich G.Nerve injuries and treatment in facial cosmetic surgery.Oral Maxillofac Surg Clin North Am. 2009;21(1):23-9, v. doi:10.1016/j.coms.2008.10.003The Royal College of Anaesthetists.Risks associated with your anaesthetic.Section 11: Nerve damage associated with an operation under general anaesthetic.Borsook D, Kussman BD, George E, Becerra LR, Burke DW.Surgically induced neuropathic pain: understanding the perioperative process.Ann Surg. 2013;257(3):403–412. doi:10.1097/SLA.0b013e3182701a7bWoessner H, Vibhute P, Barrett K.Acute loss of bladder control in a stroke of the frontal cortex.Neurohospitalist. 2012;2(4):129–131. doi:10.1177/1941874412450715Tzermpos FH, Cocos A, Kleftogiannis M, Zarakas M, Iatrou I.Transient delayed facial nerve palsy after inferior alveolar nerve block anesthesia.Anesth Prog. 2012;59(1):22–27. doi:10.2344/11-03.1
12 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.MedlinePlus.Numbness and tingling.Cleveland Clinic.Paresthesia.Reda B, Wong I.Postoperative numbness: a survey of patients after hip arthroscopic surgery.Orthop J Sports Med. 2018;6(5):2325967118771535. doi:10.1177/2325967118771535Johns Hopkins Medicine.Anesthesia.Su Y-K, Wang J-H, Hsieh S-Y, Liu X-Z, Lam C-F, Huang S-C.Incidence and risk factors for postoperative lingual neuropraxia following airway instrumentation: A retrospective matched case-control study.PLoS ONE.2018;13(1):e0190589. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0190589Neal JM, Bernards CM, Hadzic A, et al.ASRA practice advisory on neurologic complications in regional anesthesia and pain medicine.Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2008;33(5):404–415. doi:10.1016/j.rapm.2008.07.527Kuponiyi O, Alleemudder DI, Latunde-Dada A, Eedarapalli P.Nerve injuries associated with gynaecological surgery.The Obstetrician & Gynaecologist. 2014;16:29–36. doi:10.1111/tog.12064Azizzadeh B, Mashkevich G.Nerve injuries and treatment in facial cosmetic surgery.Oral Maxillofac Surg Clin North Am. 2009;21(1):23-9, v. doi:10.1016/j.coms.2008.10.003The Royal College of Anaesthetists.Risks associated with your anaesthetic.Section 11: Nerve damage associated with an operation under general anaesthetic.Borsook D, Kussman BD, George E, Becerra LR, Burke DW.Surgically induced neuropathic pain: understanding the perioperative process.Ann Surg. 2013;257(3):403–412. doi:10.1097/SLA.0b013e3182701a7bWoessner H, Vibhute P, Barrett K.Acute loss of bladder control in a stroke of the frontal cortex.Neurohospitalist. 2012;2(4):129–131. doi:10.1177/1941874412450715Tzermpos FH, Cocos A, Kleftogiannis M, Zarakas M, Iatrou I.Transient delayed facial nerve palsy after inferior alveolar nerve block anesthesia.Anesth Prog. 2012;59(1):22–27. doi:10.2344/11-03.1
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
MedlinePlus.Numbness and tingling.Cleveland Clinic.Paresthesia.Reda B, Wong I.Postoperative numbness: a survey of patients after hip arthroscopic surgery.Orthop J Sports Med. 2018;6(5):2325967118771535. doi:10.1177/2325967118771535Johns Hopkins Medicine.Anesthesia.Su Y-K, Wang J-H, Hsieh S-Y, Liu X-Z, Lam C-F, Huang S-C.Incidence and risk factors for postoperative lingual neuropraxia following airway instrumentation: A retrospective matched case-control study.PLoS ONE.2018;13(1):e0190589. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0190589Neal JM, Bernards CM, Hadzic A, et al.ASRA practice advisory on neurologic complications in regional anesthesia and pain medicine.Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2008;33(5):404–415. doi:10.1016/j.rapm.2008.07.527Kuponiyi O, Alleemudder DI, Latunde-Dada A, Eedarapalli P.Nerve injuries associated with gynaecological surgery.The Obstetrician & Gynaecologist. 2014;16:29–36. doi:10.1111/tog.12064Azizzadeh B, Mashkevich G.Nerve injuries and treatment in facial cosmetic surgery.Oral Maxillofac Surg Clin North Am. 2009;21(1):23-9, v. doi:10.1016/j.coms.2008.10.003The Royal College of Anaesthetists.Risks associated with your anaesthetic.Section 11: Nerve damage associated with an operation under general anaesthetic.Borsook D, Kussman BD, George E, Becerra LR, Burke DW.Surgically induced neuropathic pain: understanding the perioperative process.Ann Surg. 2013;257(3):403–412. doi:10.1097/SLA.0b013e3182701a7bWoessner H, Vibhute P, Barrett K.Acute loss of bladder control in a stroke of the frontal cortex.Neurohospitalist. 2012;2(4):129–131. doi:10.1177/1941874412450715Tzermpos FH, Cocos A, Kleftogiannis M, Zarakas M, Iatrou I.Transient delayed facial nerve palsy after inferior alveolar nerve block anesthesia.Anesth Prog. 2012;59(1):22–27. doi:10.2344/11-03.1
MedlinePlus.Numbness and tingling.
Cleveland Clinic.Paresthesia.
Reda B, Wong I.Postoperative numbness: a survey of patients after hip arthroscopic surgery.Orthop J Sports Med. 2018;6(5):2325967118771535. doi:10.1177/2325967118771535
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Anesthesia.
Su Y-K, Wang J-H, Hsieh S-Y, Liu X-Z, Lam C-F, Huang S-C.Incidence and risk factors for postoperative lingual neuropraxia following airway instrumentation: A retrospective matched case-control study.PLoS ONE.2018;13(1):e0190589. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0190589
Neal JM, Bernards CM, Hadzic A, et al.ASRA practice advisory on neurologic complications in regional anesthesia and pain medicine.Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2008;33(5):404–415. doi:10.1016/j.rapm.2008.07.527
Kuponiyi O, Alleemudder DI, Latunde-Dada A, Eedarapalli P.Nerve injuries associated with gynaecological surgery.The Obstetrician & Gynaecologist. 2014;16:29–36. doi:10.1111/tog.12064
Azizzadeh B, Mashkevich G.Nerve injuries and treatment in facial cosmetic surgery.Oral Maxillofac Surg Clin North Am. 2009;21(1):23-9, v. doi:10.1016/j.coms.2008.10.003
The Royal College of Anaesthetists.Risks associated with your anaesthetic.Section 11: Nerve damage associated with an operation under general anaesthetic.
Borsook D, Kussman BD, George E, Becerra LR, Burke DW.Surgically induced neuropathic pain: understanding the perioperative process.Ann Surg. 2013;257(3):403–412. doi:10.1097/SLA.0b013e3182701a7b
Woessner H, Vibhute P, Barrett K.Acute loss of bladder control in a stroke of the frontal cortex.Neurohospitalist. 2012;2(4):129–131. doi:10.1177/1941874412450715
Tzermpos FH, Cocos A, Kleftogiannis M, Zarakas M, Iatrou I.Transient delayed facial nerve palsy after inferior alveolar nerve block anesthesia.Anesth Prog. 2012;59(1):22–27. doi:10.2344/11-03.1
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