Major cording!! Help!!

lmcclure4477

About a month ago I noticed that I had this rope like object next to and under my armpit. When I saw my breast surgeon I asked her what this was and she said it is cording and then referred me to a lymphedema physical therapist. I only saw her three times and we worked on stretching and she did massage. I had to stop because I had to have my exchange surgery. It has been two weeks and my plastic surgeon said I can resume physical therapy. Is there anything to do for cording besides stretching and massage? I want to make sure I explore all of my options. Also is your cording painful? My hurts, is tight and is causing swelling under my armpit.

KSteve

Mine hurt too.  It eventually went away with stretching and massage by the lymphedema physical therapit.  I'm not aware of anything else that will address it.  My therapist also game me exercises to do at home too.  I wish you the best.  I haven't thought about that part of my journey in quite a while, which is really nice to say!  Good luck and keep working at it.

Kathy

Lainey64

I am having some issues with my problem arm and my therapist said it is cording.  She told me to do the wall exercise with my arm to stretch it out.  She hasn't started my massage yet but said that she will work on it.  I agree, it's very painful and I feel like I have a wire clothes hanger lodged in my arm!

Binney4

Immclure, have you looked at the StepUp-SpeakOut page on cording? If your therapist wants to she can access videos of a massage technique for cording there:
http://www.stepup-speakout.org/Cording_and_Axillary_Web_Syndrome.htm

Hope it resolves soo!
Binney

Moderators

Take a look here as well: 

http://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/side_effects/aws

Hope this is helpful! 
Warmly, 

The Mods

Lainey64

Does cording and LE usually go hand in hand?  Just curious.

Binney4

Lainey, some therapists feel that cording is an indication of additional lymphedema risk, but there are no studies to prove that, so right now it's anecdotal. More research needed into risk factors for LE!
Binney

lmcclure4477

My therapist told me that if you don't take care of the cording, it could turn into lymphedema.

Lainey64

Thanks!  I asked because I am experiencing weird arm pain and my therapist told me that I have cording.  I haven't had an issue with cording at all until now.  Just thought it was interesting because the cording pain started at the same time as the LE symptoms.  Hmmm