Hi All
I had surgery on 23rd February SLNB & Lumpectomy. I have really bad and painfull cording. Its more painful than the surgery
Any suggestions on help easing it I’m gutted this has happened as I was hoping to slowly get back to my sports.
Sadly not recieving any support other than it happens from my BCN. They have said nothing you can do apart from exercises.
Thanks 
Im now 10yrs post triple neg and i still get cording.I had it bad post surgery and i found the only way to cope was by "breaking " the cording,stretching the cordings or massage until they "popped"I use to “hang” by my fingertips from the top of our pantry until it broke,sounds brutal,but once they popped,only then was there relief.I worked the ones in my arm and forarm by massaging until they released as well.Hope this helps.
Hi Thanks for your message.
Omg 10yrs thats awful for you 
I have it from my armpit all the way to my hand. I was just suprised the BCN aren’t very concerned about it all and just feel abit lost about it all. Xxx
Try differnt things, stetching ,lifting weights,massage etc,whatever helps,
With regards to cording look for a therapist experienced in myofascial release and manual lymphatic drainage.
That got rid of my cording after only 3 sessions.
Thankyou is this something through the NHS or Private. I’m suprised my BC department aren’t at all intrested in this for me.
Just sort of assumed they would care about it but seams to be out of there remit. Feel like its abit of…oh well bad luck type thing.
Really getting me down as its really painful.
I had cording also. When I first saw it, I thought what the heck. The surgeon did deep compression in the office and we heard it snap. Did not hurt. I had a few PT sessions to help stretch my under arm. The cording never returned. I hope all goes well with you.
Hi @kat-jack I got cording too and was referred for physio which has helped enormously. It might be worth speaking to your surgeon to see if they can help refer you? I found a massive improvement after 3 sessions. All the best x
Where I live in N Wales you can refer yourself to the NHS musculoskeletal physio team. You should find this option on your hospital website.
I had a routine phonecall from the Breast Care Physio Post- op when I would have been able to discuss this if needed. My friend who did get it had a Breast Care Physio appointment which helped. My other friend who got it was about 10 years before us and didn’t get any support but sorted it herself by doing what exercise she could and doing exercises from YouTube specifically for it. They come up up quite easily if you search . If you’re able to do so it might be quicker to go private - if there’s a support group locally someone there might be able to recommend someone . Xx
I had my surgery early September and lymph node clearance and have suffered badly with cording . I did try physio and have had regular massage by going deep into the cord to break it . I have also been doing a lot exercises and swimming but only in this last 3 weeks have had some relief as was prescribed Amitryptiline whcih is a mild anti depressant which works with nerve damage pain . If it persists for a long time then you can ask your GP to prescribe it . Good luck and i know how painful it can be …
Hi kat-jack. I’m afraid it would be private.
My BCN just said to do the exercises in the leaflet I was given after surgery and then try physiotherapy. I called all the local physiotherapists but non were aware of cording so I asked a neighbour who is a chiropractor if she knew of anyone who could help and she recommended Esmé Bubb (esmewellbeing.com).She works around the Oxford area, but if you are further away maybe she would be able to recommend someone in your area.
She was wonderful and released the cording completely, I can now move and lift arm without any pain.
I hope you find someone to help as I know how painful it is. It’s enough to have all the other treatments to deal with without this too.
Best wishes
My BCN referred me straight to NHS physio saying you can’t sort it yourself with exercise. The physio fixed it 90% in one session. I went back with a few bits and it had gone down my abdomen too. The Physio was brilliant. Ask your BCN to refer you. There must be one near you that has done the training for cording. Good luck!
Hi Kat-Jack
Ask your BCN for a physio referral. In Leeds we have a physio team for cancer patients.
When I was referred thanks to cording, I had an appointment within a week or so. The physio manipulated me on the table and the cord ‘popped’. Actually, it was a student who did the honours and her face when it popped 
I was given exercises that it I still do if a little cording appears (yep, 3 years later it’ll show once in a blue moon) or if my armpit is tight.
Exercises - I AM NO PHYSIO, THIS IS WHAT I WAS GIVEN TO DO. Affected straight arm up as high as you can, directly above you (call this 12 o’clock). Hand bent over and flat as if you were balancing a tray. Do little pulses from the shoulder. About 20
Then same with your arm out at 11 o’clock - 10 pulses in that direction. Then bring your arm closer to your head and very slightly over to the side. Another 10 pulses in that direction.
Do several times a day. You can do sitting upright in a chair.
I hope you get sorted soon x
@kat-jack Hi, I had my mastectomy on Sept1,2022. 28 lymph nodes were removed. I developed cording after 8 months. The tissues around my operated site had hardened due to radiation treatments. I go for massage and physiotherapy treatments regularly. Have you heard of poponf while being treated? In one of my treatments, the therapist managed to “pop” my cord which is a good thing. It may sound horrible but this popping helps but it doesn’t happen with every treatment. Hope this helps. Thinking of you
Hi all,
Thanks for your replies. I am very frustrated with my BCN she really isn’t intrested at all with it. I will see if I can speak with another BCN as I am desperately wanting this resolved or at least looked at.
Q: Its been two weeks after my surgery I only had 2 nodes removed. I am scared of massaging under my armpit my wond is not sore at all and looks great but not sure if i should be massaging in the armpit or not. 
As you are 2 weeks post - op I’m thinking you should be having a follow up pretty soon ? These are questions that you could ask your Breast Consultant - and push for a breast physio referral as well . I understand your wariness about massaging the wound at present but it sounds like your dressings are off now so if it looks healed you start gently moisturising to see how it feels and get your skin in good condition for stretching your arms and massage . My friend who was left by her BCN to deal with it largely in her own ( still angry about it ) nevertheless DID manage to cure it herself completely with exercise and gentle massage though it took some time. Xx
Im not having a telephone conversation about my results untill 15th March.
Im going to have to ring tomorrow as I’m worried now as I’ve noticed it goes all round my breast now I can literally see the cording in my breast. Is that even a thing 
I don’t feel your really prepared or explained to about the cording situation before your op its literally a two liner in my pre op paperwork 
Yes that’s true . Sorry that you’re struggling so much with it , it does sound like you have an extreme case and I really hope you can get through to your BCN . Maybe if you ring the helpline in the morning first thing they might be able to tell you how best to explain it . Might be worth trying your surgery as well . Xx