Connect
← Return to Cording / Axillary Web Syndrome (AWS)
Discussion
Cording / Axillary Web Syndrome (AWS)
Breast Cancer | Last Active: Aug 14 9:43am | Replies (48)Comment receiving replies
I have massive cording that started the day after my mastectomy and alnd. It's been there two years and no amount of physical therapy budges it, although I go in two hours a week for manipulation and working on the tight muscles it causes. I have about half the range of motion I had before. My PT thinks it is due to too much moving right after surgery, then inflammation caused by mild cellulitis that went on for weeks as I couldn't get the surgical team to diagnose it (the oncologist did, though), and then the surgical team had tried to do petrissage too early and without accompanying lymph drainage, resulting in even more cords forming. I have a couple of blood clotting mutations and had low normal BMI as well as being on blood thinners for six months after surgery, so those may also have added to the problem. At any rate, these cords are not dissolving or going away on their own or with traditional PT or massage. I've seen occasional references to releasing them surgically or via needling, so after this whole Covid thing is resolved, will look into that. Surgeons who deal with scarring from breast implants may be a resource.
Replies to "I have massive cording that started the day after my mastectomy and alnd. It's been there..."
Boy, you are struggling with this mess! I went to a PT who specialized in treating only cording, and his wife specialized in lymphedema treatment. My PT was a male like me, and we really worked on it. I am also doing exercises at gym. He told me to keep exercising and the cording would be resolved until I am in diapers. Hope you can find such a specialist.
Good luck.
Connect
@dmpill
So sorry you are going through this. My cording went away last year after PT manipulation and home stretching exercise, however, it's B-A-C-K! Now instead of 1 cord, I have 2. Lucky me. Kind of feels like our arms are being ripped out of the skin, right? Due to the shelter-at-home, my PT was cancelled but I was able to get a video appointment. She's shown me an additional stretch which, while excruciating, I think it's helping a little. It's been explained to me that it like a blood vessel vein, but it's a lymph vein that's basically backed up with lymph "sludge." I've been looking on YouTube for an example - not sure if you're doing this one but about 2:20 it shows the PT stretching from the pectoralis muscle next to the breast tissue. This is now starting to help me somewhat. It's also important to do your lymphedema exercises 3X a day. I hope you get relief soon. This stuff is painful and annoying.