It is estimated that between 10% and 30% of patients will suffer persistent pain after breast surgery, There are few studies on long-term side-effects from surgery. Typically, a surgeon does not track the patient's condition post-operation for more than a few weeks. While any given surgeon may or may not know about this syndrome, it is clearly the responsibility of the ordinary oncology team to be prepared to treat such a patient's pain. What is known is that patients often experience burning pains in the chest wall, arm and underarm, and an accompanying sense of tightness, like a swelling no one else can feel. Approximately 40% of postmastectomy patients find their pain significantly worsened by mere movement. They may experience sharp pains radiating around the rib area, underneath the bra line, or sometimes shooting pains or numbness in their arms and hands. Such pain naturally causes one to restrict arm activity, but this creates the risk of having a paralyzed or frozen shoulder. Prescribing medication is a balancing act between pain relief and the patient's pain threshold. Among the drugs that have proven helpful are Elavil, Effexor, Neurotin, Remeron, Clonidine, opiates, anticonvulsants, muscle relaxants, and anti-arhythmic heart medications. One successful approach began with intravenous lidocaine, followed by a long-term regimen of the oral painkiller Mexilitine. 4 Some patients found relief in physical therapies such as acupuncture, biofeedback, compressions on the surgery sites, moist heat treatment, ice bags, myofascial release, osteopathy, phantom limb massage, and in certain extreme cases, re-surgeries to clean out scar tissue and tighten loose skin. Can you describe some of the common problems that women face following various surgeries for breast cancer? Frozen shoulder is very common. The connective tissue in the shoulder area actually becomes so tight that you lose the range of the motion in your arm. It becomes difficult even to lift your arm. A lot of people mistake frozen shoulder for a natural weakness in the arm and shoulder that follows surgery. What they're not aware of is that that weakness is starting to occur not only from the trauma of the surgery, but because of the immediate and rapid development of scar tissue after the incisions are made. A lot of the tightness and pain is the result of scar tissue.

I had my breasts done and I went from a barely B cup to a full C cup and I experienced some pretty good pain for 3 days and it got better after that. (Those 3 days I had narcotic pain meds that took care of the pain though.) The 2 things I thought were the worst part were the bruising from my arm pits down to my hips on both sides (subpectoral implants) and the "fullness" the person above spoke of. If you've breast fed a child, it's the feeling you get when your breasts are full and it's time to feed the baby.