Ideas for relief of armpit pain after a double mastectomy?

Does it just hurt to touch or even when nothing is touching it? Have you tried physical therapy? My armpit is like one big knot. It doesn't bother me anymore, but I've gone through PT for a couple months 3 different times to work out painful knots that were in the lymph system. It never brought that area back to normal, but it really did help and get rid of some if it. Only the side that had lymph nodes taken out has knot issues, but range of motion was affected on both sides. The PT really improved my range of motion as well. If I do any heavy housework like hard scrubbing the knot gets bigger. I hope PT might help you.

I had a single mastectomy in 21 and have had scar tissue issues and cording both in my under arm and in my chest. Physical therapy with a lymphedema specialist helped immensely I'm mostly pain-free but exercise as prescribed and have great range of motion. Best of luck to you.

I had a previous lumpectomy on right breast in 89 (fibroadenoma) a lumpectomy of right breast in May 2025 (atypical ductile hyperplasia and LCIS ) and a prophylactic DMX in July 25. I am 63. I was injected to be able to find the sentinel lymph nodes at DMX, but that wasn't required. I believe they decided I was clear doing small path in the surgical suit and my path report on the DMX came back benign -but nonetheless my armpits were puffy and sore as hell! I chose no reconstruction and I'm remaining flat. I began lymphatic massage about a week postop and continued religiously despite the pain because I did not want to have cording or lymphedema. My PT was a lymphedema specialist and I saw a lymphedema OT preop and postop. I did have some cording on the right hand side, which the PT helped resolved - it took several visits and myofascial massage. One month out I had full range of motion back in both shoulders - but I have residual lymphedema in both arms! At my six week OT check up I was up 9% up on my right limb and 8% on my left - despite this increase I'm still in the "good range". My OT lymphedema specialist thought it was very odd because I had not had axillary dissection, and that I have residual fluid in both limbs. Has anyone else had this happen? And if yes, did you get back to your preoperative, or close to your preoperative range - and how long did it take? I will see my OT this coming week and I see my surgeon in another three or four weeks.

What I have heard from both offices is to just keep up with the lymphatic massage and range of exercises (of course keep the diet low in salt, etc.) - and I swim daily. I go to bed I'm puffy and somewhat painful in both. I wake up in the morning and puffiness and pain have gone down - and I think my chest looks beautiful; well almost because the left side is more puffy than the right! I am presuming it just takes a long time for the lymphatic system to heal/replumb - if I didn't move/exercise/do massage, I would have higher residual lymph in my limbs. So my best advice is keep moving to help reduce pain and swelling - and if you don't have a lymphedema specialist, ask if your surgeon can refer you to one.

I’m calling PT Monday morning for sure. I appreciate you getting back to me. ❤️