Pain from Muscle Repair Stitch After Tummy Tuck surgery Tri Valley Plastic Surgery

I have a sore spot on the left side of my belly button that has been sore for a few days. I am six weeks post Tummy Tuck surgery. It burns sometimes, and stays sore a lot. The nurse said it was a stitch from my muscle repair and will stop hurting in time. How long will it take before the pain resolves? It is the only real pain I have from any of this, with the exception of minor swelling. I was just wondering how long I might expect to feel it.

Tummy Tuck Pain

Thanks for your question. There can be several things that contribute to abdominoplasty pain. In the immediate post-op period the incision itself can cause some pain. This can be controlled by injection of local numbing medication, pain pumps and post-op pain medication. The typical more lasting pain (usually for about 1 - 3 months) can be the muscle plication. Part of an abdominoplasty includes tightening of the muscle. This involves large permanent sutures into the muscle and the fascia (the strong tissue attached to the muscle). There are several nerves near the inferior portion of the abdomen that can be caught with suture or cut when performing an abdominoplasty that can cause chronic pain. It is unlikely from your description that these nerves were injured. You can try massage to improve the pain. If the pain is focal and reproducible you may discuss steroid injection into the area to try to calm irritated nerves. I hope this helps.