How do I relieve gas-related shoulder pain after laparoscopy?

Gas-related shoulder pain after laparoscopy is very common. It’s usually referred pain from the gas used to inflate the abdomen during surgery, which can irritate the diaphragm and “show up” in the shoulder, often worse when lying flat or taking a deep breath. For most patients it gradually improves over the first few days as the gas is absorbed.

What tends to help is gentle, frequent walking, changing positions, and using heat (like a heating pad) on the shoulder or upper back. Some people also get relief from sitting more upright, using supportive pillows, and taking the post-op pain medication plan they were given on schedule rather than waiting for pain to spike. If your shoulder pain is severe, worsening instead of improving, or comes with symptoms like shortness of breath, chest pain, fever, or increasing abdominal distension, reach out to our team right away so we can review what’s going on and guide next steps.