It is not common, but some patients do complain about pain after their CoolSculpting treatment. This probably occurs in about 10% to 15% of patients, and the amount of pain felt varies from mild to severe. But even though it’s unusual, we still want to address the issue here.
Pain after treatment is associated with your nerves. During the treatment, the area targeted is numbed with low temperatures. This slows circulation and inhibits the actions of your nerves, making the area “fall asleep”, kind of like how your foot falls asleep when you’ve been sitting on it for a while.
Once the treatment is completed, the area is rubbed massaged and slowly, it starts to “wake up” again. Your nerves start to act normally again and your blood circulation resumes at its regular pace. All of this action feels like when your foot wakes up and starts getting tingly and hypersensitive, as if there’s electric shocks going through it. This sensation can be painful, and that’s why pain can sometimes be felt after a CoolSculpting treatment. So, it all has to do with your nerves.
Pain can be controlled with pain medication that targets the nerves. One such medication is called Neurontin. Neurontin is not a narcotic.