I’ve started this thread as I can’t find much written anywhere about cording - and wanted to make sure that those of us who are suffering with it can share tips and advice!
I’m 46, very active and sporty before my diagnosis last year. I had a lumpectomy and setinal node biopsy in March 2018 (10 weeks ago now) and was immediately fine in terms of full arm movement - although I still did my physio exercises - but three weeks after surgery, cording seemed to come on overnight. I had a thick ‘cord’ from my scar up my arm to my elbow. I also had a thin cord going down my side (but I only discovered this one last week - I was wondering why my side was still sore, then found it…). I had rads 4 weeks after surgery, and finished rads a fortnight ago. The cording was sore more than restrictive of movement, but it was extremely uncomfortable and is the main reason I still can’t wear a bra - as it hits the cord which is sore to the touch.
I’ve been seeing a physio (before, during and now after rads). It’s helped reduce the cording, but it’s still there and still tight, just less extensive. I stretch it as often as I can, and mostly in the mornings before work and evenings before bed (“child pose” works well - but it rather hard to do in an office during the day!). The physio tells me that it takes time - probably about 6 months to go.
I’ve been massaging it myself on the physio’s advice (she goes in pretty hard… as hard as I can tolerate in terms of pain, but it hasn’t caused any wider issues - just a bit of soreness the next day).
I’ve read as much as I can about it, but all of the medical literature seems to say ‘we don’t know much about what causes cording’ - which is pretty much what the physio has echoed. it’s getting less painful/ uncomfortable but feels like I’ve got a bag of marbles in my armpit!
Hints and tips from those who’ve had and managed cording would be really appreciated… and I hope we can create a thread which helps others who get it.
hi, i had terrible cording exactly the same place as you under my armpit down to my hand and on my side i was so scared because i couldnt move my arm to get it in position for my radiotherapy it was so tight and painful, i took painkillers paracetomal and ibuprofen , had my arm massaged everday with aqueous cream from my friends and family how the physio had taught me then very slowly stretch it as your massaging it really worked !! ive also had 15 sessions of radiotherapy now to my left breast after masectomy and use E45 just gently smoothed over the area everday as well , its doing really well so far i still have some scar tissue on my chest and back of the arm nerve damage but my arm is doing really well now.x
I too have been looking for threads on cording and not such what to do other than stretching. I have counted four coesa after 21 of my lymph nodes were removed four weeks ago now (they developed two weeks after surgery). They are very painful and go into my forearm which hurts to touch. I have been stretching every day and I just had two snaps. I thought that meant that they had gone but they are still there. Is it a snap per cord or can a cord snap in several places? I have counted about four cords with one main one starting from my armpit and three finer ones. I am hopeful that snapping is a good sign… but dont know.
I would like to see a physio. how do I go about this? I saw the lymphodema nurse and she gave me some laser a week ago but not sure if that did anything. She said she would see me again in 6 months and just to keep stretching. Was really hoping they would go before then…:-o
I still have cording 6 months after surgery. No loss of movement and I did all the exercises from day 1. I asked for some physiotherapist treatment/ advice via my GP but nothing forthcoming. Advice on line is conflicting, use heat, don’t use heat etc. Anyone out there with similar experience? By the way I am 76, active and doing Pilates, core exercises, plenty of walking etc!!