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Who diagnoses cording?
Hello all. I had bilateral mastectomy on 5th April. Received favorable pathology report 17 April. I've been very lucky. I'm recovering from mastectomies with my next review mid June. I'm doing exercises and massage but am somewhat confused about the difference between my symptoms on left side compared with right side. This may seem a simple question but who diagnoses cording? Surgeon and/or physiotherapist? And if I have cording, should I wait until mid June for some form of treatment for it or will it simply resolve by itself 8 weeks post op? Should treatment commence after 8 weeks? I'm certainly displaying my confusion here!
21 Replies
- Ah bugger. Once these things start to go shit shaped it can eat up a great deal of time.
Things may not be life-threatening serious, but it is so disappointing when you find yourself as one of the minority (or so we are told) who have complications
Hang in there, I know it sounds like one thing after another, which is exhausting and exasperating, but you are likely to see some improvements when you get a physio on board.
A word about hospital physio departments-- they are busy but do not feel you are not as badly off as others you may see there and underplay your situation. If you tell them you are OK no one will argue with you so make sure you let them know how you are really going and keep yourself in the program for as long as you need it. Getting on top of these things early is really important, particularly if you have underlying conditions. Mxx - Great that you're sorting it out @goingdancing. I should report, too, that the new piece of equipment the physio used on me last time was called Physio Touch and it's a suction cup that pulls the skin away from the scar tissue. I didn't feel a thing because the area is mostly numb. Immediately afterwards, I thought that was a waste of time and money but I thought too soon because my arm definitely has more movement and less pain. Good luck with it and let us know how you go.
- Here I am again. I arranged a review at hospital. Infection is some of the problem so antibiotic program keeping me busy every 6 hours. Some of the issues on left are aggravation of existing shoulder and cervical nerve problems prior to surgery. Bicep and tricep muscles very sore and bursitis in shoulder. Exercises I was doing are now reduced for left and I'm off to hospital physio dept next week. I'm glad I brought the review date forward. I can see that some of you have been very brave with coping with cording and treatments for cording. It seems why cording happens remains a mystery. Won't it be a grand day when/if the reason is known and prevention strategy in place? I have slight cording on right. Now unsure if have any cording on left given the other issues there. Focused now on left rehab instead of those issues at present.
- What @zoffiel said! I'm currently having both laser therapy and massage on it and tomorrow will have some other piece of equipment used on it which apparently pulls rather than pushes (?) - I'll find out what that means tomorrow! I went paddleboarding for 2 hours (gentle and with breaks) last week and while I was worried about doing too much, the constant gentle stretching did amazing things with the cording.
- Ah thanks for the info. So my left side is more like the description of thick fibrous. Right side is quite mild pain wise and has individual strings. Thanks for the hint on ice pack. My wonderful perfect for my back vehicle is Honda CRV 2004 and gear lever is on column. It has saved me so much on delivery fees over the years including long logs since there's no gear stick in the way on the floor. Enough said about my previous activities!
Cording in your axilla can be thick and fibrous--not individual strands. I have a patch of that and it can't be manipulated. The individual strings feel very different. There is so much that is not known about this condition. Different physios have different approaches. Friction massage is painful and leaves a burning sensation for a while but it shouldn't stop you using a column shift (I'm having a visual there, haven't seen one of those since the 80's)
Taking a soft ice pack to any potentially challenging physio treatments is a good idea. I chuck one in the esky and you can slap it on the offended body part on the way home.
- It's me again. Still doing exercises and hoping for the best. I have two questions. If someone popped mine, would I then still be able to drive home (column gear automatic ie beside steering wheel)? Sister - what is difference between web and other cording? I'm very sore and swollen under arms from surgery 5 April - esp left.
- @Zoffiel my physio took great joy in popping mine too even though it made me feel like throwing up. She also did some stretching/pulling they was quite painful.
- @zoffiel I know what that pain is like. Unfortunately I've got the web type which doesn't pop.
Knowing what is going on is half the battle @goingdancing It's good to get onto these things early, cording is a very creepy condition and no-one has a clear explanation of exactly what it is or why some people are more affected than others.
When I first experienced it back in 2007, the philosophy about how to treat it was changing from quite aggressive friction massage to gentle stretches. The stretching didn't work for me, I had a very good range of movement but the tightness persisted. Eventually my physio decided to try the old fashioned treatment and rubbed and pulled until the cords actually broke. We both cried through the whole performance.
Fast forward ten years, the cords came back after my most recent surgery and my physio took to them with all the enthusiasm of a kid popping bubble wrap. I cried, she didn't. I still have a few vague pulls in my armpit and forearm but I'm not game to mention them for fear of the friction massage, I'll just put up with it for now and hope it goes away :)
