Getting Rid of Axillary Web Syndrome and Cording after Breast or Melanoma Cancer Surgery

[@CancerRehabPT]

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[@juliemulie1805]

"Just massage it, it'll go away" and "that's a rare side effect" was the response I had by both the surgeon and radiation oncologist. Wish I'd had had this information in December of 2019. Not wanting to go through the cording again (for me all down my torso) made me elect to not do follow-up cosmetic repair surgery. Took over 6 months to go away and I found the stretches by personal experimentation, and yes, I got the "pops". There was little information online and NO information from the medical team. I will refer people to your website when needed now. Thank you!

[@nonyabiness4023]

I just had a bilateral mastectomy 3 weeks ago. Saw my oncologist 2 days ago and that cord popped out literally after my appointment. It’s the weekend, so I googled and looked here…thank you for the info. The stretches may help over the weekend. I’ll still call my oncologist Monday but the stretching is already helpful. This is painful! Lol! I appreciate this💞

[@ohdudexitsjen]

Thank you so much for this. I just had a lymph node dissection two weeks ago and I was really scared once I realized I wasn't able to lift my arm up after surgery. I kept describing it as a "guitar string being pulled." I found out through these videos that it is called cording! Coming across your video gives me a lot of hope for the future and my arm function. Thank you for being so informative and being a great resource. 🥰

[@CancerRehabPT]

Jennifer Cotton I know there isn’t a lot of information out there so I am happy it was able to give you that insight 🙂 wishing you a fast recovery!!

[@MariaB-hi4gr]

Frustrated because I couldn't even do a full large shoulder circle without pain. Armpit area is too tight. Finger wall walking exercises help, but I guess I need to just do these exercises more often. I am one month post-surgery. I really like these videos.

[@roche320]

Had a radical axillary dissection 4 weeks ago and my surgeon just told me to 'stretch so your arm doesn't get locked up'. I did one Google search and found out that the tightness in my shoulder is cording. I kept describing it as a tight elastic in my armpit. I was stretching yesterday and I kept feeling like something was popping. So glad I can now deal with it - I was worried it was really serious.

[@cynmiedo77]

I am so grateful to have stumbled upon this video. The limited range of motion, increased tightness, pain and tenderness, showing up months after surgery was alarming. Thank you.

[@ruthkyle3744]

Thank you Kelly for this video! My lymphedema therapist and I are working on getting rid of my cording which has been present for over 1-2 years. I had made a move from south to north Florida in between which interrupted my therapy. Now that I have a new therapist and we have discovered your site, we are excited to follow your helpful advice and get some relief.

[@SusanWampler-n4c]

Waiting for an appointment with PT. Going to try this in the meantime. Thank you for sharing such in-depth techniques and information.

[@inrealife8339]

Thank you so much for this video. My friend from Canada who had the same surgery 3 months before me just sent it to me. This will help so many women thank you again.

[@GroovyGrov]

I had breast conserving surgery in September and started radiation in December. The cording started about a week or so ago. I am working with a PT to help with the range of motion. I will add some of these techniques as well as they seem very gentle and in line with what they are showing me. I also have watched the lymphedema drainage as well. Great help!

[@j.c.9565]

I had lymph nodes removed 8 mos ago after a mastectomy and have had this axillary pulling ever since, I’ve been stretching but it doesn’t seem to help. I just thought it was normal, or scar tissue. Thank you soo much for your video at least I know what I’m dealing with and won’t be freaked out if I feel a pop. I’ll try the stretches on your video.

[@dianemiller6440]

Kelly, thank you for this video. I am exactly 3 weeks out from a bilateral mastectomy. Cords showed up 2 weeks after. I am using your video to help out - it is quite painful. Thank you so very much! I am grateful. Diane

[@CancerRehabPT]

I’m sorry you’re dealing with this extra pain! I hope you get relief fast!

[@veronicav1695]

Compression bandaging made cording worse. How will that work ? All other techniques you have mentioned makes sense and have worked. Thank you.

[@emilievito6594]

Thanks Dr. Kelly Reeds, your video helps a lot. I developed this syndrome 3 months after my radiation. At first I thought it's lymphedema but when I viewed your video, it enlightens me and helped me not to worry too much. Thanks a lot!

[@CancerRehabPT]

Oh I am happy to hear it helped you figure it out. It's so common, but not spoken about much. Wishing you the best!

[@IleneJ]

Thanks for this! I'm 7 months postop from a reduction and lift (not cancer related) and just discovered two cords from the bottom of my breast to my pelvic bone. So painful! Surprisingly, the couple of docs I've seen (not my surgeon) said it was nothing.

[@edchanderlachica7992]

How much sergeon maam?

THANK YOU! These are SUPER helpful!!

[@lindali618]

Thank you so much for sharing this. It is very useful during The Covid epidemic time. So I can practice at home. God bless you. Your voice is so calm and healing too.

[@CancerRehabPT]

Oh thank you for those kind words. That made my day! I am so happy it is helpful for you!

[@MegaRaffa1991]

Hello. Can you please write the name of the tissue used to soft tissue mobilisation? Thank you.

[@irmabodeux1166]

Can you recommend a PT cancer specialist in the Houston area ?

[@joeldecoster8816]

when you just go along with your surgery and treatment., never told of cording.The worst pain imaginaable

[@jesusjesusjesus772]

True🥺😭😰

[@starlenehusk673]

It is awful!

[@wem-c9f]

Worse than childbirth? I have slight cording at times, had mastectomy and lymph nodes removed, but giving birth is way way worse for me.

[@paularies3282]

​@@wem-c9fchild birth doesn't hopefully last for months of constant pain. That's the difference. It was the worst post surgical pain I've had and I've had multiple types of cancer and surgeries.

[@sheila7814]

Along my cord, I have 4 marble sized swollen bumps. I assume these are lymphnodes that have enlarged. I have not seen any videos on youtube that address these sore areas that may allow develop along with the cording. Any suggestions?

[@terajohnson1981]

Thanks for offering another perspective on the pop

[@cbrown.]

Thank you so much for this information. I've been trying to massage it and move any fluid on my own. It hurts but it seems to feel a little better afterwards...I think but it's so tight & sore around my elbow and forearm.

[@LisaBeatsCancer]

Wonderful videos. Definitely have a cord now and it's awful.

[@gwenmajette]

Thank you

[@belladunnic]

Thank you for this. I had bilateral mastectomy with expanders in 12/21 and getting ready for my exchange to implants in 6 days. I had 2 lympnods removed on the r8ght side but have developed cording on the left side (no lympnods removed). My PT and I are working on this during sessions 3 times a week. It has not gotten worse but is persistent the same.

[@lavidarei2074]

that's interesting, that you got it on the side where they did not remove a node. That would seem to indicate that it's not from the node removal but rather from the DMX, in my mind anyway. I'm scheduled in three weeks, another thing to be concerned about.

[@CarmelittaPeacockNelson]

Similarly, I had a mastectomy and five lymph nodes removed on the left side and got cording on the right side. Thank you for sharing!

[@slavitsam]

thank you for this video! one of my nodes (sentilal) was removed 3 weeks ago but after 2 weeks the cord has appeared in my armpit. Today I had a review visit with the breast surgeon and she simply pressed the cord which "popped" she refered to it as a brocken cord... there is a small relese but i am not sure where the lymph will now go if the lymphatic cord has been brocken...

[@nicolei9876]

This video is really helpful, thank you!

[@massagebyjulia]

You can receive help with cording from a Certified Manual Lymphatic Drainage Therapist or Certified Lymphedema Therapist. These professionals may be PTs, OTs, massage therapists, or nurses.

[@lindalord6995]

Hi! Thank you for these videos! How often should I do the stretches for the cording and also, how often should the manual lymphatic drain massage be performed?

[@lakubi]

Thank you so much for this video!I am out of surgery since 3 weeks and I have the cord from the armpit until my elbow,it is painful and I cannot raise my arm without pain and pulling...They did not tell me anything in the hospital about it or about physiotherapy...I thought it was a vain initially...Can I already start with the massage if I am only 3 weeks post surgery (mastectomy with immediate implant reconstruction)?Also could you please tell me when I could start mobilizing my scar on the breast and using some cream to get the scar smaller?Thank you and Happy New Year!

[@sindujakumar2004]

So useful. Thank you

[@michellecervai3772]

Thank you for these exercises…would swimming be good for relieving cording? 🙏🏻

[@jesusjesusjesus772]

Thank you dear I really wanted this information ❤.

[@athleticamee6485]

Thank you so much for this video

[@rb3883]

Very informative, thanks!

[@louisehaigh1795]

Really helpful, thank you so much!

[@GlitzyKismet]

Thank you so much! No one mentioned cording to me as a possible side effect after surgery. I'm now working with a PT to help alleviate it. Do you have any videos which show more detail on how to use the dycem for massaging the cords?

[@CancerRehabPT]

i don't right now, but currently in the process of creating more details for cording treatment. i am happy you are able to get help from PT!

[@veiledcouture608]

Thanks a lot. I was just looking for such kind of exercises. You solved my problem. I was having pain in my lower arm just as you r showing in the video, a long cord running from arm pit to the wrist.

[@jesusjesusjesus772]

Same😰

[@jennifermcguire8867]

Yes, mine is from the axilla to the wrist for me. Very painful.

[@dianeg1645]

Thank you Kelly for the information. Where can I get the diesem fabric?

[@CancerRehabPT]

It’s on Amazon. Search: dycem. Or, I also have a link directly to it in the description box on this video 🙂

[@dianeg1645]

@@CancerRehabPT thank you Thank you very much. I’ll check the link first. My lymphoma specialist recommended I subscribe to your channel. You are a wealth of great information. 💕

[@ValerieColeman-w4u]

Your information is very helpfu. I noticed a cord within a month of my surgery and it seemed to go away. After having radiation in Nov., I just noticed the cord three months later. I have used some of your massaging and stretching techniques these past two weeks and it has helped. My concern is that I have noticed more tenderness, ache/pain after seeing the cord, especially on the right side of my breast and near the scar from the removal of the sentinel lymph node. I haven't had much pain or tenderness in the past few months. Can the cord bring on these symptoms?

[@ohiowatha]

Brilliant. Thank you.

[@calpal9983]

Thanks for this! 🙏

[@caramelrose7187]

Is this for people that has undergone breast cancer surgery?

[@mishafashionista4930]

Question: Is it possible to have a cord under my tissue expander? Meaning at the bottom of the expander and onto the ribs? I have full ROM and no pain. I noticed what looks like a cord under my expander when I raised my arm while putting on deodorant. When I extend or hyperextension my trunk, it sticks out. Again, no pain. No cording in this arm, but had 3 nodes removed. 2 more than post op DMX with expanders. Coincidentally, I am a PTA and have never heard of any of this until my DCIS dx.

[@Bb-cz3fq]

Can cold Shower help drain the lymp vessel?

[@kasiakrapilatesandyoga.7728]

Would this PT would be used for someone who has cording happened them due to exercise not breast cancer ?

[@AnnA-o1q3k]

I just had axilla breast tissue removal surgery and under one of my armpits, my skin tore a small hole when I lifted my arm, and I have a very thick looking cord going from there to my wrist, there is nothing to mend the tear, and the surgeon said it would just heal on its own, I don’t see how it can. I can’t find anybody else this is happens to on the web :/

[@mayal-abousi3830]

I am still hearing pop but no improvement in chording?

[@lyndawilliams4570]

How soon after a single mastectomy with immediate implant with a drain can I start this? It’s been a week. I definitely have ancillary web syndrome.

[@sassy_steph]

Hey so i had a revision 4 months ago and now i have a new cord going up into my neck muscle. Idk how to handle this

[@rebeccapolizzi4814]

hello, I had an arm lift 3 months go, and post op my stitches kept opening up, so the doc decided to wait for the skin to regrow, about 4 inches of the skin was missing due to it and now that it has finally come back, I have limited range of motion and I can something like cording along my armpit , I was told by a plastic surgeon that I will need skin grafting to fix it, I really don't want to go through that hope these exercises help,

[@verob6693]

Same happened to me. I hope these excerises help as well. I'm 2 months po arm lift t

[@ThePalatePrincess]

Same! I'm 3 months post-op and have severed webbing in my armpits. PT isn't working--I'm tempted to ask my plastic surgeon to cut the webbing.

[@sumanshekhawat3664]

I dont have any other medical issues like surgery or radiation but developed cording. What can be the reason .

[@samanthapedder6703]

Did you get any answer for this - I have developed cording but like yourself have never had cancer or any surgery.

[@maddie-ld9cn]

Me too. Did either of you get swelling/ lymphedema with yours? I think mine is exercise related.

[@bognalistewnik1374]

When I can start to massage breast after surgery, and how to do it? :)

[@CancerRehabPT]

Bogna Listewnik great topic! I will absolutely do a video on this :)

[@J3an_j3an]

I have it under my armpit but I’m haven’t been diagnosed with cancer… So what else can cause it???

[@dannialise9547]

Did you ever find out what caused it? I randomly got cording to and I do not have breast cancer or any surgery.

[@J3an_j3an]

@@dannialise9547 I have very dense lumpy breast and suffer with constant inflammation and infection in my breast. The cording was present during the infection in my breast and lymph nodes at the time, doctor wasn’t sure if it could have caused it but most likely. Sorry not much help. (my mammogram and scans shows that I have breast tissue up in my armpit)

[@jimena80]

2:00

[@conniemoore3837]

My surgeon claimed that this was caused by the chemo. Smh

[@AnnA-o1q3k]

I just had axilla breast tissue removal surgery and under one of my armpits, my skin tore a small hole when I lifted my arm, and I have a very thick looking cord going from there to my wrist, there is nothing to mend the tear, and the surgeon said it would just heal on its own, I don’t see how it can. I can’t find anybody else this is happens to on the web :/