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Flutter_By's avatar
Flutter_By
Member
10 years ago

Cording

I'm wondering if anyone can tell me does cording eventually disappear with just excercises? I have cording down to my elbow for last few months, lately it's horribly tight again despite doing excercises and about a month ago a new cord developed in what's left of my breast, creating lots of discomfort/pain there's no excercise I can do for that one. Today while having chemo I talked to the breast care nurse who is going to try to get an app with physio for me ASAP, she mentioned sometimes the cords can be cut to loosen them off, what does that look like? Is it done with a local or a general? And does it help? What are the odds more develop? Ugh!

thanks 

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  • Anonymous's avatar
    Anonymous
    10 years ago

    Hi Flutterby, I'm currently seeing a specialised physio for cording that got worse with rads. The cording was restricting my arm movement,straightening up on my side, and pulled all the way down my arm past the elbow. The physio, with massage has broken the cording in my elbow, and I have much more flexibility in my shoulder and arm. The cording down my ribs has also broken, and is a lot more comfortable.  I'm now doing light weights with low reps, and stretches, and I'm now starting to get a bit of strength in my arm. The physio and rads oncologist has told me to keep going,as the cording may be a problem for many months. Keep your eye on the target Flutterby, and be persistent, make it part of your lifestyle and it will pay off in the end. Sending you a big cuddle, Trace ????????

  • June1952's avatar
    June1952
    Member
    10 years ago

    Hi Flutterby

    I had cording following my mastectomy and was sent to a physio.  This was not fantastic as she managed to 'crack' one but the others were not to good - at the huge cost each time I could not afford to go regularly.

    I then found a masseur (at less than 1/2 the cost) who is trained in lymphodema etc and she works wonders, often using the Chinese 'cupping' to assist if I am bad.  I find once every three weeks keeps both pretty well under control, unless of course I do things like wood splitting and vacuuming etc which means I may need to go more often.

    One happy thought is that if there is time to spare I get a pleasurable massage as well !

    Hope this helps - anything which prevents more surgery is a good thing !

    Good luck

    Summer  :-)

  • Cath6053's avatar
    Cath6053
    Member
    10 years ago

    Hi, 

    I had cording after my mastectomy and axillary dissection in June. It started about 3 days after surgery and I couldn't move my arm in any direction forward without pain/pulling. I had to wait 2 weeks until I could get a physio appointment, due to school holidays (all physios away), and then I had sessions twice a week for about 5 weeks (10 sessions total). 

    This has worked fantastically well, and I have got almost full range of movement back. I still do my stretches once per day, in order to keep flexibility. 

    I created more cording when I got stuck into the housework (scrubbing and mopping = bad). So now I have to remember to use my other arm for those jobs. 

    I also had tightness across my chest muscles and cording in this area, as it felt like a pulling on my sternum (centre of chest). 

    I recommend seeing a physio who has had training in post breast surgery care and lymphodema training. 

    Cath :)