How Long Does Nerve Pain Last After Breast Augmentation
Nerve pain after breast augmentation is a real concern for many women who have undergone this procedure. The most common cause is getting an infection from the surgery itself or from using dirty instruments during the operation.
Nerve pain is a common side effect that some people experience after surgery, often manifesting as tingling, shooting pains, numbness, or itching near the incision site. These sensations can be uncomfortable and disruptive to daily life, lasting for an extended period of time. It is not uncommon for individuals to continue experiencing nerve pain for over a year, or even longer, as the nerves heal and regenerate. Patience and proper pain management techniques are essential in managing and alleviating these symptoms as the body continues to recover from surgery.
Nerve pain after breast augmentation can be a frustrating, seemingly never-ending experience. In this blog post, we’ll discuss how long nerve pain lasts after breast augmentation, as well as some of the most common causes of nerve pain and what you can do about them.
How Long Does Nerve Pain Last After Breast Augmentation
Nerve pain is a common side effect of breast augmentation surgery. While it typically resolves on its own, you can take steps to mitigate the pain. Here’s what you need to know about nerve pain after a breast augmentation and how long it takes for it to go away.
If you have any signs of infection, such as redness or swelling, please call your doctor immediately for treatment. If you don’t have these symptoms but are still in pain, it’s probably one of the following:
Scar tissue: Scar tissue can build up around your nerves after surgery and cause them to become compressed, which contributes to nerve pain. Try massaging your scars with coconut oil twice daily until they soften up (about two months). This should help decrease any discomfort.
Muscle spasms: Your nurse will give you stretching exercises when she releases your drains, but if muscle spasms are still causing numbness or tingling in your arms or legs after three
Why does the pain happen?
Nerve pain is a common side effect of breast augmentation surgery. It occurs in some patients months or years after their surgery, and it can be very painful and debilitating. Although the cause of nerve pain following breast augmentation is complex, one of two factors typically explains it:
- The nerves that run through the pectoralis muscle are stretched during the procedure. This stretching causes irritation, which may result in nerve pain over time.
- In some cases, the surgeon cuts these nerves during surgery without realizing it. If this happens, you might experience significant pain for weeks or months afterward because your body hasn’t had time to heal itself properly yet (since these nerves were cut before they could do so).
Sharp Pain in One Breast After Augmentation
How long does the pain last?
The pain will usually last for about three to six months. This can be really frustrating because the initial pain is usually worse than the residual pain after that. It’s important to know that even if your nerve pain doesn’t go away completely, you should still feel an improvement before long.
The cause of nerve tension after breast augmentation surgery is twofold: First, there’s inflammation around your nerves; second, there may be scar tissue forming around them as well. Your body has its own way of healing itself, but sometimes it takes a little longer than expected or desired. The good news is that nerve blocks and physical therapy can help reduce this discomfort while your body heals itself naturally over time (and one day soon).
Who is more likely to experience the pain?
Your likelihood of experiencing nerve pain after breast augmentation will depend on the location of your incisions and how they were made. Patients who have undergone a periareolar or circumareolar incision are more likely to experience this type of discomfort compared with those who have undergone a transaxillary approach, as the latter method is associated with significantly fewer risks. However, even if your surgeon uses this method and places your incisions through the armpit area instead of around your nipples, you may still experience some degree of nerve pain.
A study published in 2017 showed that patients who had undergone periareolar or circumareolar incisions were twice as likely to experience breast implant complications such as capsular contracture (when scar tissue forms around an implant), capsular rupture (when an implant breaks open), or hematoma formation (blood pooling under the skin). The researchers concluded that surgeons should consider switching from these types of incisions to transaxillary ones because they’re less likely to lead to these problems—and therefore also less likely to cause symptoms like nerve pain
One Breast Hurts More than The Other After Augmentation
It is normal and temporary.
You should not worry about the pain. It is a normal part of the healing process, and it will go away as your body adjusts to your new implants.
It can last for up to 6 months or even longer. The length of time it takes for this nerve pain to subside varies from person to person, but most patients find that their discomfort decreases substantially after 3-6 months following surgery.
It is not a sign of infection or complications with your breast augmentation procedure. There are numerous potential causes of the sensation in your chest wall, including swelling around the incision site(s), muscle spasms, or nerve damage as a result of trauma (such as receiving a blow to the chest). If you experience any unusual symptoms such as redness around the implantation area, severe pain, persistent fever or chills then contact us immediately so we can evaluate you further!!
How will my surgeon help with the breast augmentation pain?
Your surgeon will discuss pain control methods with you, and will choose the one that best suits your needs.
- Pain medications such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen (Tylenol) are available over-the-counter at a pharmacy or grocery store. These medicines can be effective in relieving mild to moderate pain if taken regularly as prescribed.
- Your surgeon might administer morphine, an injectable opioid, during surgery to lessen postoperative pain. It is also available in a continuous-infusion pump that delivers small amounts of opioid into your system around the clock for up to five days after surgery; this reduces the need to administer strong oral opioids, which can cause side effects like nausea and vomiting when used long term. The pump can be worn under clothing and turned off at night so you’ll stay comfortable while sleeping.
- A topical cream containing capsaicin (found in chili peppers) may help reduce the sensation of nerve pain by depleting sensory nerves of their natural chemical messenger molecules called substance P, which carry messages from one nerve cell to another via electrical impulses passing through them along sensory nerves’ axons.*
Breast augmentation is a very common procedure, and temporary nerve pain afterward is not uncommon.
You’re not alone if you experience temporary nerve pain after breast augmentation, as this is a common side effect of the procedure. Nerves are often cut to make incisions for breast augmentation, and these nerves can be damaged during the procedure. However, most patients feel better within two weeks after surgery.
The surgeon will likely prescribe some pain medications that help reduce your discomfort while it heals—and they’ll probably tell you to avoid taking aspirin or ibuprofen before surgery to reduce further irritation of your nerves.
Conclusion
Breast augmentation is a very common procedure, and temporary nerve pain afterward is not uncommon. Nerve pain after breast augmentation can last a day or for several months; it all depends on you! Depending on your body type, some people may experience more pain than others. For example, women who have breasts that sag before the surgery will probably feel more discomfort during recovery. The most important thing to remember is that there isn’t anything wrong with you if this happens; it’s just how your body reacts when something changes inside of it. So keep an eye out for signs of nerve damage while recovering from surgery; they should go away within six weeks or so post-op!