Can a pillow hurt?

[wifeandmomoftwo]

Today in clinical I had a patient get snippy with me because after we changed her sheets we were trying to get her in a comfortable position and I laid a pillow on top of the ankle of the leg on which she had total knee replacement surgery. I'm asking here because some patients complain a lot. She wasn't my patient for the day (I was helping another student) so I'm not sure if she is one of them or not. I won't do it again, but do you think it would hurt that bad?

[Saysfaa]

Yes, for practical purposes anyway. When a body is dealing with a lot of pain sometimes even a little thing has a really big impact... even in a person who is not a complainer. At least, it was so in back labor childbirth and a few things I've gone through that hurt more than the childbirth did. According to my physiology professor, this phenomenon (and its opposite, of toning down pain signals) is due to presynaptic nerves influencing the strength of the relevent sensory nerve.

[wifeandmomoftwo]

Thanks for the response. Maybe it did hurt worse than I realized. It just seems like no matter how hard I try someone finds something to complain about. I have a hard time staying positive. Hopefully I'll either get better or get used to people being particular (because of their hospitalization or illness) over time.

[Saysfaa]

((((wifeandmomoftwo))))

Hang in there. Sending you some sunshine, )

[Chica17]

This has happened to me too. I was just adjusting the sheets and laid the pillow at the end of the bed when the patient told me the pillow was hurting their foot. I'm sure it is very sensitive and uncomfortable and can imagine how the pillow may feel heavy so :) yea lol don't worry about it! Just be cautious and lay pillows in a chair or something!! :)