Chest pressure/tightness

cec48
cec48 Member Posts: 3
in Breast Cancer #1
Hello everyone! I am hoping someone can give me some advice. I had a double mastectomy 2 years ago, with no reconstruction. I have constant tightness across my chest and under my arms. It's like a tight belt around my chest. Sometimes with some burning sensations and a little soreness. My breast surgeon has been of no help. My breast oncologist referred me to a physical therapist. I have had one session so far and I will continue for at least a few more sessions to see if I get any relief. I do not have lymphedema. The therapist thinks this feeling of tightness might have something to do with the nerves that have been cut. She said they try to regenerate and send out new nerve endings, or something to that effect. She thinks that some kind of compression on the chest area may be of some benefit to me. She suggested wearing something like Spanx shapewear or similar garments. Or perhaps wrapping my chest in an Ace bandage. I tried on some shapewear garments, but didn't think that was helping. Not sure about the Ace bandage, as haven't tried that yet. Has anyone experienced this problem? If so please share with me what may have helped you. Thanks!

I am BRCA 1+ and both a breast and ovarian cancer survivor. Finished chemotherapy for ovarian cancer June 2010 and have been in remission ever since.

Comments

  • jamiegww
    jamiegww Member Posts: 384
    #2
    I hope the PT works for you but.........
    I was wondering if they did any kind of scans to rule out a tumor growing on your chest wall? I only had one breast removed about two and a half years ago. I have been dealing with tightness on the mastectomy side for several months and at times it would feel like it was on fire. I figured the tightness was my fault for not doing my stretches and the burning must have been some kind of "radiation recall effect". I started doing mild weight training and developed a lump above my mastectomy site which I figured was some weird muscle. My doctor ordered a CT scan and it turns out I have a mass growing both above and below my chest wall. Now, remember, that's me and it's probably not you but I'm just saying it's worth asking your doctor about.

    HUGS!!!
    Jamie
  • New Flower
    New Flower Member Posts: 4,294
    #3
    jamiegww said:

    I hope the PT works for you but.........
    I was wondering if they did any kind of scans to rule out a tumor growing on your chest wall? I only had one breast removed about two and a half years ago. I have been dealing with tightness on the mastectomy side for several months and at times it would feel like it was on fire. I figured the tightness was my fault for not doing my stretches and the burning must have been some kind of "radiation recall effect". I started doing mild weight training and developed a lump above my mastectomy site which I figured was some weird muscle. My doctor ordered a CT scan and it turns out I have a mass growing both above and below my chest wall. Now, remember, that's me and it's probably not you but I'm just saying it's worth asking your doctor about.

    HUGS!!!
    Jamie

    2 years in remission is a very good news
    I am a big proponent of physical therapy. I have started mine four weeks after mastectomy. My physical therapist did help with muscles and range of motion. I also have been doing my stretches every day, and light weights 5 lb including chest presses twice a week. My experience was that you need from 5 to 10 sessions to see improvement, please give your physical therapist a chance.
    Please reach out for help and relief from your pain
    Hugs
  • MAJW
    MAJW Member Posts: 2,510 Member
    #4
    New Flower said:

    2 years in remission is a very good news
    I am a big proponent of physical therapy. I have started mine four weeks after mastectomy. My physical therapist did help with muscles and range of motion. I also have been doing my stretches every day, and light weights 5 lb including chest presses twice a week. My experience was that you need from 5 to 10 sessions to see improvement, please give your physical therapist a chance.
    Please reach out for help and relief from your pain
    Hugs

    Burning sensation....
    The burning sensation could be neuropathy, nerve damage...I had severe burning sensation in my breast like I had been set on fite...very painful and was prescribed Gabapentin..changed my life! I take two in the am and three in the pm....

    Hope your PT goes well and you may want to ask about the Gabapentin....you shouldn't have to suffer from pain...
    Hugs, Nancy
  • terig714
    terig714 Member Posts: 1
    #5
    Chest pressure/tightness
    Hello,
    I also had a double mastectomy recently in April 2012, and I had a lot of pressure and tightness. I have been going to physical therapy and she said it is scar tissue building up, and she does heavy pressure and massaging (which has to be a proper way as lymph nodes were removed under both arms).

    The first time I went to therapy I could not lift my arms, and they massaged under my forearms to break up the scar tissue and yes it hurt as they were doing it, but so well worth it as I could then move my arms. I am on my 7th Therapy and she continually massages any tight area and it really loosens it up. I also do exercises to stretch the chest wall, and arms and that really helps. Stretching is the best thing to release this tightness/pressure.

    Keep going to therapy, as it will help, but it does take time. I did have my chest wrapped in an Ace Bandage for months as it felt better, but in the end it was just covering up the issue of the tightness and did not help. THERAPY has really helped and I have loosened up the chest wall and arms! I have reconstruction scheduled for mid August, and I will have to do therapy to loosen everything up again.

    You can also have someone at home or you massage where it is tight to loosen it. Ask your therapist to show you how to massage, as even though you don't have lymphedema, there is still risk of that if you had any lymph nodes removed. If you did not, then maybe just normal massaging is good.

    I put Aspercreme non smelly rub on before I go to therapy so that when they are massaging it, it really helps loosen it.
  • cec48
    cec48 Member Posts: 3
    #6
    jamiegww said:

    I hope the PT works for you but.........
    I was wondering if they did any kind of scans to rule out a tumor growing on your chest wall? I only had one breast removed about two and a half years ago. I have been dealing with tightness on the mastectomy side for several months and at times it would feel like it was on fire. I figured the tightness was my fault for not doing my stretches and the burning must have been some kind of "radiation recall effect". I started doing mild weight training and developed a lump above my mastectomy site which I figured was some weird muscle. My doctor ordered a CT scan and it turns out I have a mass growing both above and below my chest wall. Now, remember, that's me and it's probably not you but I'm just saying it's worth asking your doctor about.

    HUGS!!!
    Jamie

    Jamie, thanks for your
    Jamie, thanks for your reply! Thank you for your suggestion. I'm sorry that they found that you have a mass. I hope it is not cancer and I wish you all the best. I have been going for CT scans on a regular basis because of having ovarian cancer. They scan my chest, abdomen, and pelvic area. Everything has been clear so far.

    Hugs!!
    Cindy
  • cec48
    cec48 Member Posts: 3
    #7
    Thank you to everyone who
    Thank you to everyone who replied! I will write more later, as my grandchildren are coming over shortly. I really appreciate everyone who took the time to write back to me.

    Cindy
  • punkinpie
    punkinpie Member Posts: 18
    #8
    cec48 said:

    Thank you to everyone who
    Thank you to everyone who replied! I will write more later, as my grandchildren are coming over shortly. I really appreciate everyone who took the time to write back to me.

    Cindy

    Physical therapy
    I went to physical therapy originally for lymphadema. The therapist also worked on loosening up the scar tissue that formed and loosen up the tissues fused together from rads. It was worth the time and effort. I move much better now and can lift my arm and shoulder and can stand up without stooping over.
  • VickiSam
    VickiSam Member Posts: 9,079 Member
    #9
    punkinpie said:

    Physical therapy
    I went to physical therapy originally for lymphadema. The therapist also worked on loosening up the scar tissue that formed and loosen up the tissues fused together from rads. It was worth the time and effort. I move much better now and can lift my arm and shoulder and can stand up without stooping over.

    Cindy .. How are you doing ???
    We are worried about you ...

    Strength, Courage and HOPE for a Cure.

    Vicki Sam
  • Kylez
    Kylez Member Posts: 3,761 Member
    #10
    MAJW said:

    Burning sensation....
    The burning sensation could be neuropathy, nerve damage...I had severe burning sensation in my breast like I had been set on fite...very painful and was prescribed Gabapentin..changed my life! I take two in the am and three in the pm....

    Hope your PT goes well and you may want to ask about the Gabapentin....you shouldn't have to suffer from pain...
    Hugs, Nancy

    A physical therapist might
    A physical therapist might help you out more than you realize. Let them try and just see. Wouldn't it be great if the therapist can take care of this for you? Let us know what you decide.

    Good luck, Kylez
  • Lynne Logan
    Lynne Logan Member Posts: 105 Member
    #11
    oh wow
    I was wondering why most mornings I woke up feeling like I had a tight band around my chest. Usually it got less obvious during the day but I still feel as if everything is tight. I finally ended up having 2 mastectomies and I think last year's is tighter than the more recent one. But now I know it's not just me. I wish my sides matched. I'm still waiting for the swelling to go down on the more recent right. Tell me, what kind of stretches are recommended? I will start doing them to get rid of this tightness.
    Thank you for sharing this problem.
    Lynne
  • Kylez
    Kylez Member Posts: 3,761 Member
    #12
    VickiSam said:

    Cindy .. How are you doing ???
    We are worried about you ...

    Strength, Courage and HOPE for a Cure.

    Vicki Sam

    Like Vicki Sam, wondering
    Like Vicki Sam, wondering how you are?
  • DorothyShiebler
    DorothyShiebler Member Posts: 1 *
    #13
    https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/243624/chest-pressure-tightness
    https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/243624/chest-pressure-tightness

    hello, I’m new to this website but joined because I have the same issue as you and am looking for advice. I had a mastectomy with lymph node removal in 2001. Over the years the tightness across my chest and under my arm became unbearable. I have recently been getting physical therapy and am amazed at the relief I’m getting. My therapist is loosening the fascia beneath the scar tissue which he said could grow back rather quickly if massage isn’t kept up. I can keep up with the front of my chest but can’t reach around under my arm to my shoulder blade.

    I’m wondering if I will have to have therapy periodically for the rest of my life or if anyone has any other suggestions.

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