cording (axillary web syndrome)
Good morning! I’m 4 weeks post op from lumpectomy with SLNB. About a week ago I noticed worsening range of motion in my arm and a “cord” in my armpit on the surgery side. The lymphedema RN confirmed its Axillary Web Syndrome (cording). Man is this painful and frustrating! I can feel the tightness thru my forearm.
I have a list of stretches to perform, and found more online on YouTube and cancerrehabpt.com. I start radiation in a few weeks also.
Has anyone been able to release the cords on their own with stretching or did it require PT or worse, surgery? What worked and didn’t work for you?
Thank you! ❤️
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Hello: Post-mastectomies (double), when I was cleared to try to regain range of motion, I developed painful cording in one arm that worsened over a couple of weeks (can’t recall if it “spread” bottom up or top down) that prevented me from raising my arm above my shoulder or extending it fully. I could not resolve it on my own. Took it to PT and got immediate relief and then complete resolution in a reasonable amount of time. So, I absolutely recommend PT! Note that I saw multiple PTs at the practice with varying styles/skill levels. The one who was most effective applied the strongest and most comprehensive pressure. One seemed too gentle/tentative. I did not have radiation, so can’t speak to how that might factor in. I don’t know whether regular exercise outside of PT also helped , but that’s been my strategy. Best of luck to you! I have no residual cording or range of motion issues at this time (two years out), though it took close to a year to regain full ROM and strength after the whole process, including reconstruction.
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Thank you so much for your insight. I’m so glad you were able to regain your range of motion! It also helps to know this is going to be a process with no quick fixes.
I was just scheduled for my pre radiation treatment scans next week, so I know PT for the cording will be on the back burner. Hopefully the radiation treatments don’t make it worse. I’ll continue the stretches and exercise in general just for the mobility and peace of mind. Gives me a feeling of doing “something better than nothing”. Thank you again! Appreciate you!0 -
I had cording and did have a couple PT visits to help with it.
one thing the PT recommended was holding the stretches for longer than I had been at home, instead of holding for 10 seconds holding for longer as tolerated. That seemed to make a big different. She also did some massage of the area which helps to release the cording.1 -
Thank you for that info, good to know. I’ve regained range of motion in my shoulder and now struggle more with pain and limited mobility in my elbow through forearm. I can see the cord still in my axilla. I’m hoping massage with PT will release the rest of this. At this point it’s annoying!
Glad you’re doing well and thank you for responding. 😊
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Hi gals, 72 y o, I had R lumpectomy, R sentinel lymph node biopsy with 3 node removed, thankfully no lymph node involvement. and bilateral reduction/lift for stage 1 IDC ER+PR+ HER2 - on 10/9. Bunch of nerve pain like a sunburn all down my chest (in addition to the customary zingers) which gabapenti n gradually is bringing under control.
Now I have as many as at least a dozen cords running from the incision line under my breasts downward into upper abdomen. (It's hard ot be sure exactly how many as they kind of come and go but the PA I saw on Monday called them "kind of a lot.")These respond nicely to warm compress or shower, self-massage and stretching. I absolutely can't find anythig anywhere on this (to me) weird location/direction of cording, so have figured out some stretches for myself that seem to help. I have my radiation simulation onMonday 11/17; I have a PT appt but not til 11/25.
AND now that I've started self-massage on the scars (which I was cleared to do at my visit on Monday) I've found old gnarly ropy-feeling lines that parallel the horizontal incisions that kind of wrap around towrad my back. Worse on the R, probably unsurprisingly.They feel like they're about 1/8" or 1/4" below the skin, maybe a little less than the diameter of a pencil, and are not attached to the surface scar. These are harder, don't have any give like the cords, and are sore and tender unlike the cords.
I decided to send a message to the plastic surgeon PA I've seen for my follow-up.
Anybody have any experience with something like this? They seem somehow more troublesome and maybe harder to deal with than the cording. Thanks for listening anywa!
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hi @cat_guardian, I’m so sorry you’re dealing with that! I hope you get some resolution. Any help from the PA?
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not much honestly. But I do have a cancer rehab physical therapy appointment coming up early Tuesday morning which I hope will be of a lot of help; had an acupuncture visit yesterday and she actually helped me figure out a good way to stretch to get some stretch into those lower thoracic/upper abdominal . Although how you would ever get them to “pop whether that would even be a good thing is kind of baffling to me. Hopefully answers from the PT!
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@cat_guardian glad you got into physical therapy, and hopefully that helps. My insurance just approved PT for me so I’m looking forward to getting scheduled. I’ve regained mobility in my shoulder and now those leftover cords are balled up in my forearm and wrist. Ugh.
Let us know how your appt goes!0 -
@nope123 it went well. Pretty big truncal cords! PT helped me figure out some stretches, showed me massage for cording and scars. Or course, since I started radiation today and my bood is very red, I'm now agraid to touch that side. Slathering on th aloe vera!Decided I might need a 2nd plant…
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@cat_guardian glad PT went well and good luck finishing treatment! Hope all goes well. ❤️
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