after mastactomty why pain is in my underarm

[mohini]

[sumeet_shah Administrator]

1. Healing in the underarm (axilla) is by contraction of tissues. Stretching of this tissue can cause pain.

2. The nerve, which supplies and carries sensation from inner side of the arm is cut during surgery; this causes numbness and occasionally pain on the inner side of arm and underarm

[arundhatip]

What is the standard treatment? Is it pain killers? Which is the best, please? Or is there a ayurevedic, traditional cure for nerve damage? Or does yoga help perhaps? thanks for all inputs.

[shikhacanfightit]

Also, do you have drains after mastectomy to collect fluid? It's very important to drain extra fluid out.

[sumeet_shah Administrator]

@arundhatip, Sorry, I should have addressed this earlier in the first answer. I left it unanswered.

There is actually no remedy for this, to truly speak. For many ladies, this usually disappears over a period of time, maybe 6 months or even a year. But for some, it may persist for quite some time; and the intensity varies from person to person. Occasionally, you may need the support of pain killers. Do regular arm raising shoulder exercises which will maintain mobility at the arm pit level, and may help to reduce the pain, if not stop it. Yoga may help (by basically the same principle, encouraging movement at the shoulder)

There is quite a debate as to how this can be avoided. One study said, that if the surgeon cuts the nerve with a scissor instead of a cautery (which burns the end), the future pain may be less. It's difficult to prove it, though.

[baku]

I agree with Sumeet.

Stretching exercises n Yoga will definitely help.

One has to keep in mind the fact that a certain portion of the body has been removed and the body will never be the same.

However, lots of perseverance to exercise regularly and an extremely positive attitude will make you sideline the pain.

Clearly the pain will persist whenever you are tired or ill or run a fever but ultimately the mind over matter will do the trick.

The mere fact that a person has triumphed over cancer is enough to overcome all such persisting hurdles.

It is very easy to sermonise but you are the master of your destiny.