Cording (axillary web syndrome)

Cancer Research UK says the scar tissue is called cording, banding or axillary web syndrome, that it can feel something like a guitar string and extend down the arm past the elbow, possibly as far as the wrist or thumb, that it is harmless but can be painful and may limit arm movement, and that regular massage helps. It says to tell your breast care nurse, who can refer you to a physiotherapist for massage and stretching exercises, that it usually gets better within a few months, and that anti-inflammatory painkillers may help. NICE NG101 (1.14.19) says to refer people to the physiotherapy department for individual assessment and treatment if they report a persistent reduction in arm and shoulder mobility after breast cancer surgery or radiotherapy. This is orientation from public patient pages, guidelines and the trials themselves, not advice for your case: your own team's instructions and 24-hour number come first, and no figure on this page is a prediction about you.