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How long does pain in breast last after lumpectomy?
For 1 or 2 days after the surgery, you will probably feel tired and have some pain. The skin around the cut (incision) may feel firm, swollen, and tender, and be bruised. Tenderness should go away in about 2 or 3 days, and the bruising within 2 weeks. Firmness and swelling may last for 3 to 6 months.
Is breast pain common after lumpectomy?
You will have some pain after breast surgery (lumpectomy, mastectomy or breast reconstruction). For most people, this pain is temporary and goes away after you heal from the surgery. About 20 percent of people have pain that lasts longer [240]. Pain right after surgery is usually due to injury to the skin or muscles.
How long does it take for nerves to heal after a lumpectomy?
Nerves take time to regenerate, because they grow at a rate of about 1 mm/day. It may take several months after your surgery before you notice sensation returning, and the change in sensation can continue to develop for up to two years.
Is it normal to have pain in your breast after radiation?
You may have aches, twinges or sharp pains in the breast or chest area. Although these are usually mild, they can continue for months or even years, but they usually become milder and less frequent over time.
How long should you have pain after breast surgery?
After the surgery you will probably feel weak. You may feel sore for 2 to 3 weeks, and you’ll likely have a lot of swelling. You may have a pulling or stretching feeling in your breast area. You can expect to feel better and stronger each day, although you may need pain medicine for a week or two.
Why Does My breast hurt after radiation treatment?
People who have radiation therapy to the lymph nodes in the collarbone or underarm area (axillary nodes) or who have axillary nodes removed may develop lymphedema. Lymphedema is a condition in which fluid collects in the arm, causing it to swell. Swelling may also occur in the breast, chest or back.
How much pain is normal after a lumpectomy?
Lumpectomy is performed under anesthesia; hence, the procedure itself is not painful. After the surgery and recovery from anesthesia, patients may experience pain, which usually resolves in a few days and can be minimized with painkillers prescribed by the doctor.
What does stabbing breast pain mean?
Described as a sharp, stabbing or burning sensation in the breast, the pain is most often found after age 30. This pain has been linked to fluid-filled cysts, fibroadenomas, duct ectasia, mastitis, injury and breast abscesses.
Can radiotherapy cause chronic pain?
In addition, radiation treatment may produce various types of postradiation chronic pain syndromes, including peripheral nerve entrapment, radiculopathy, myelopathy, noncardiac chest pain, pelvic pain, osteonecrosis, and other soft-tissue damage at the sites exposed.
Does breast really fill in after a lumpectomy?
Initially after a lumpectomy of that size, the defect may fill in with fluid, which initially may give your breast a normal contour.
How long is recovery from lumpectomy?
After a typical lumpectomy, removing a mass less than 5 centimeters in size, the recovery typically takes three to four weeks. If the procedure requires the removal of more tissue, the recovery can take as long as six weeks.
What should I do after a lumpectomy?
You may also benefit from taking pain medication your doctor prescribes after a lumpectomy until the discomfort subsides. Additionally, you may do well to care for your incision per your doctor’s orders and avoid full showers or baths until after he removes your stitches.
When should you get a lumpectomy?
Your doctor may recommend a lumpectomy if you have been diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer, or to remove certain noncancerous or precancerous breast abnormalities. You may not be a good candidate for a lumpectomy if you have any of the following: Scleroderma , which hardens the skin and other tissues,…