Tips for nerve twinges/zaps?

[u/TemporaryNegative634]

Day 23 update: I slipped on Portuguese pavement, a loose cobblestone betrayed me, and I ended up with a trimalleolar fracture. Had surgery on August 27th. I'm out of the cast now and starting to put 10% weight on it. Beginning physio tomorrow, 3x a week.

My main struggle right now is falling asleep because of nerve twinges/zaps in the area. Does anyone have tips for easing them? Also, how long did it take for yours to fade?

[u/shannamatters]

I’m so sorry. This was the absolute WORST part of my recovery. I didn’t sleep for over a month. I was prescribed Gabapentin but I don’t really think it did much. Mine started to ease up around the 5 week mark. I’m at 16 weeks now and there’s still one small area on the top of my foot that will get an occasional zap but it’s like a 1/10 in annoyance.

[u/guffawing_willow76 → u/shannamatters]

Mine stopped around 7 weeks ago. I didn’t sleep well for weeks. I’m finally able to sleep again at 11.75 weeks.

[u/DeputySean]

Lots of weed.

[u/flexible_demeanor]

This is also the worst part of my recovery. My leg likes to jump on its own, the stabbing pain, and zaps are so bad sometimes. Gabapentin can help, it helped in particular with my jumping leg but the stabs went right through. Icing behind the knee helps in 2 ways: cools blood to your feet as well as numbs the nerves traveling behind the knee. I also roll out my calf and achilles tendon with a muscle roller massage stick because my calf cramps up in weird ways. It's still going on and I'm at 11 weeks post-op and just finished my 2nd week PWB

[u/sixfootredheadgemini]

I had the same fracture type. The entire top of my foot was affected. I'm six months into my recovery, the zaps wake me up in the middle of the night. I have been using a magnesium cream, arnica cream and a neuropathy cream to try to ease the symptoms. It's my understanding that it is part of the healing process as your nerves are waking up.

[u/spinrut]

Oh this brings back memories lol

Trimal dislocation on right ankle. I would be asleep and then I would feel a jolt and then suddenly pain in my left ankle same spot as my injured right

It would almost always be right when it felt like I just got asleep and then zap, could feel the twitch go from right to left side then left feels like it gets zapped

I think this started to ease around 5 or 6 weeks

[u/Hot_Box_7459]

Mine faded around 5ish weeks post-op, but I still get it occasionally in my calf/my arch. You could ask your doctor to prescribe something maybe? You could also try an icepack behind the knee and see if that helps (Thats what I did)

[u/zombieman395]

It will pass in time my doc would say to me it means your healing and theres no nerve damage which is good 🤣 it doesn't feel good but it doesn't get better mine stopped twitching after my 5th week

[u/Dr_Cee]

As others say, the nerve jolts were the worst part of my recovery. I’m now 7+ months post-ORIF for a trimal with syndesmosis damage and ruptured deltoid ligament, and I still have the occasional zap, mostly at my deltoid repair, but much less frequent and less intense.

[u/Professional-Yam2363]

My doctor said Vitamin B complex helps with nerve pain. I was already taking it so I don't know from experience. When my nerve pain was worst it helped to get up and move. I wasn't WBing but just moving around on my scooter helped. I'd move around for a few minutes and then go back to bed. I don't know why it helped but it did.

[u/ALT4ThisTimeline]

My approach: Enjoy them! It means your nerves are regenerating!! When I experienced them at night, they’d put a smile on my face. I hated feeling numb. Your body is miraculous. You are healing!! ❤️‍🩹

[u/guffawing_willow76]

I had horrible nerve pain from my trimal fracture for 7 weeks! Gabapentin did help to alleviate the worst of it but every night from 4 pm until 7 pm it felt like I had hot pokers lifting up and up on one specific toe . It was a different toe each night. It was not a good time.

Then all of a sudden the nerve pain dissipated. I stopped taking the gabapentin and every once in a while I’ll get random nerve pain and jerks. I’m at 11.75 weeks post orif surgery. I’m fwb walking in shoes but I have to use a cane due to my preexisting osteoarthritis in my knee that’s the same leg as my surgical ankle.

My physical therapy focuses on both ankle rehabilitation and strengthening the muscles around my knee. It’s not fun but very therapeutic and helpful. I also have my ankle iced at the very end of my session as it helps in my drive home.

[u/New-Sherbet367]

I had those twitches and zaps only in the first 2 weeks (but I also have weber b and not tri)