Lymphoedema and Massage
Hello and Happy New Year, Ladies. Hoping 2015 brings better health and much happiness to all.
As I am in a rural area I do not have access to a physiotherapist who can treat my cording. A GP clin...
Forum Discussion
Hi Summer
How long has it been since your op? I had horrendous cording that developed probably about a month after my lumpectomy. It hung around for a couple of months and then went away. I haven't had lymphoedema though.
My tips for cording are:
- try to stretch your arm every day - I know it hurts to straighten it out but it seemed to get worse the more I tried to 'baby' it;
- massage it in the shower. Using soap and warm water, run your fingers firmly up and down the cords;
- be patient. I was told (but didn't necessarily believe) that it would get better after a few months. And it did! Diarise a date and If it isn't better perhaps touch base with your surgeon?
Finally, when you are stretching it / running your fingers over it you may feel little snaps. I understand this is the cording breaking down. Do NOT be scared of the snap!!! You'd expect it to hurt but to the contrary it just feels a little weird but brings immediate relief!!! I was living with a mantra of 'bring on the snap' for a while. I'll never forget sitting at my desk at work one day stretching my arm up and doing a quick massage when 'pew pew pew pew' there was a whole lot of snapping! Takes some time to break down - my cording was all up my arm to my wrist, but I have had no signs of any sort of lymphoedema.
Good luck!