New painful cording

Ask our Nurses your questions
1

can you help please?
looking for advice - I’m post lumpectomy and senitel node biopsy from 6 months ago. I’ve had issues with cording on and off since the surgery despite doing the exercises everyday twice a day!
I could cope with most of it and resumed all my activities and sport despite tiredness from tamoxifen etc. but of the blue - despite the exercises, playing regular tennis and swimming etc - out of the blue I’ve developed painful cording from my armpit to elbow and can no longer stretch it without pain or discomfort.

I will try and get an appointment with physio and am massaging it daily but this is really limiting me and 6 months on I wasn’t expecting this kind of disabling symptoms, on top of the tamoxifen side effects.

it’s really getting me down - I’m active and I dont want this to stop me doing anything yet it’s limiting me and yes it’s painful unlike the previous cording …

please ca you advise ?

  • how to manage new and painful limiting cording? does it go away? what to do in the meantime until I get the time and appointment to see physio?

Thank you

2 Likes
2

Dear sh11,
I was lucky not to get cording, even after a full lymph node clearance.
Despite the pain, keep doing your stretches while you wait to see a physio and for the BC now nurses to reply. I’m sure there will be videos on youtube which might give more info, but make sure its from a reputable source, preferably a breast cancer charity.
I have ongoing tightness and varying degrees of pain left over from scar tissue, nerve damage and effects of radiotherapy. Its nearly 3 years since finishing treatment so I understand your frustration and disappointment. We just want to feel “normal” again.
Hopefully you get a physio appontment soon and can put this behind you. Best wishes. X

1 Like
3

Thank you for your helpful reply
I’ll try you tube too
You’re very right just want to be normal …

Wishing you all the best. X

4

Hi sh11

Thank you for posting. It is understandable that you are feeling frustrated and down because of the painful cording you have recently developed following your lumpectomy and sentinel node biopsy 6 months ago.

Ongoing pain can happen any time after breast surgery and it can occur some months after treatment. It is always important to let your treatment team or GP know if you develop new pain so that they can assess you, investigate the cause and help you to manage it.

Physiotherapy and exercises may be helpful in managing the pain as you say, and your treatment team may be able to refer you to a specialist physiotherapist. Whilst you are waiting for a physiotherapy appointment it may help to take some regular pain relief, and you can discuss this with your treatment team or GP. The NHS also offers information and support about how to manage long term pain, including pain clinics and pain management programmes.

As @Galaq suggests there are some videos available on YouTube that you may find useful. You may find our video on scars and cording helpful, as well as this video from breast cancer physiotherapist Jen McKenzie on how to resolve cording.

We offer a range of free supportive services for anyone who has had a diagnosis of breast cancer which you may be interested in. They include face to face and online courses and events.

For more details about all of these services, please see the information on the link, or call our free helpline if you would like to talk this through or have any further questions. The helpline team have time to listen, talk things through and signpost you to more support and information if necessary. Your call will be confidential, and the number is free from UK landlines and all mobile networks. The number is 0808 800 6000, If you have hearing or speech difficulties prefix our number with 18001 and the call will go through Relay UK. Our helpline has access to telephone interpreters if language translation is required.

If you would prefer one of our nurses to call you. To do this please complete this form ticking the box agreeing to a call back.

Our usual opening hours are Monday to Friday 9am - 4pm and 9am -1pm on Saturday.

Out of hours you can leave a message and we will call you back when we next open.

Best wishes

Katy

Breast Care Nurse

Please read the disclaimer Full details on how we collect and use your data can be found in our Privacy Policy

As we are unable to monitor for further replies, this thread will now be closed. If you have any additional questions or would like to provide feedback, please start a new thread, call our helpline, email us or request a call back.