Stabbing pain on one side of breast after augmentation on 9th August? (photo)

Question

Hi,I had augmentation dual plane on 9th august.Since 11th august I have sharp pain on my right side boob on the bottom..inside.It go away when I rest and don't move much.It started to happen after car was shaken a bit on 11th.I am a bit concerned. I am still not able to wake up on myself from bed. How long I should not exercise and wear post operation bra?I was told to follow my body and do for one month. Thank you.

Gary Lawton, MD, FACS · Answer

It is expected to have pain exactly where the muscle was cut 2 days after surgery. You are going to ruin your outcome if you do too much.After breast implant surgery, I advise the patients to take one week off from work. At that point we take out their stitches and teach them the implant massage technique. We suggest 5 times per day with the massage and no bra for one month. The patients may return to work, but may not engage in any strenuous activity. At one month, the patients start to wear a soft cup bra with no underwire and can start low impact cardio. At two months they can wear an underwire bra and engage in more strenuous physical activity. Breast massage continues forever, although only once per day.

Daniel Barrett, MD · Answer

Dear aistutez,without an examination it is hard to tell what is the cause of your pain. I would suggest you to consult your plastic surgeon. Only after a thorough examination you will get more information and recommendations.Daniel Barrett, MD, MHA, MS 
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery  
Member, Am. Society of Plastic Surgery

Christopher J. Davidson, MD, FACS · Answer

Thank you for your question and photograph.  The pain you are describing is likely due to nerves that have been disturbed by your surgical procedure.  Any increased pain or swelling should be reported to your plastic surgeon for evaluation.  Exercise and surgical garment instructions do vary from one plastic surgeon to another.  That being said, my advice is not to lift over 15 pounds and to wear a compression bra (no underwires) for 4 weeks.  Best of luck.

Ted Eisenberg, DO, FACOS, FAACS · Answer

I believe it is normal to have one side that is more tender than the other after breast augmentation surgery. I advise my patients that they may return to the gym three weeks after surgery. It's always best to follow your surgeon’s protocol and when you're concerned, to keep your surgeon in the loop.Dr. Ted EisenbergBoard-Certified Plastic Surgeon & Author

Aldo Guerra, MD · Answer

Congratulations on your recent breast augmentation surgery. The results look pretty good so far. Stabbing pains are most often due to nerve stretch and you should see your plastic surgeon to confirm this diagnosis. Treatment with a gaba based prescription and vibratory massage helps. Best wishes, Dr. ALDO

Charles Nduka, MD · Answer

Sharp, stabbing pain is not uncommon for breast augmentation patients. You are experiencing pain due to severed nerves during the surgery. This should improve over time as your body heals. You may consult with your surgeon regarding pain medication if your pain is not tolerable and you are having trouble sleeping because of it.

Sean Doherty, MD, FACS · Answer

The stabbing pain that you describe is most probably due to a nerve being stretched. This isn't unusual. However, it wouldn't be a bad idea to be assessed in person by your surgeon. While there, you can go over his or her post op instructions. Everyone has a different protocol about the post operative bra. Best of luck.

Jared Troy, MD · Answer

From your picture, it looks a though you had a trans axillary breast augmentation. There are some nerves in the area that can get irritated. It's not uncommon to have some sharp pains at this point in the healing process. Talk to your surgeon about their postop activity restriction.