A sharp nerve type pain in my left forearm after brachioplasty.

Question

I had brachioplasty 9 days ago and am experiencing a sharp nerve type pain in my left forearm. Also the skin on this arm feels very sensitive. Is this to be expected?

Aldo Guerra, MD · Answer

This could be normal or it could be an issue, but only your plastic surgeon can tell you after they examine your arms. My patients get occasional shooting pains and these go away about 3 to 4 weeks after surgery. Best wishes always, Dr. ALDO :)

J. Timothy Katzen, MD, FACS · Answer

Hello pauline57 in Cardiff, X5, thank you for your question regarding a sharp nerve type pain in my left forearm after brachioplasty.  Intense, electric, or searing nerve-related pain in the forearm nine days post-brachioplasty may be alarming; nonetheless, this can be a typical aspect of the recovery process.  In brachioplasty, surplus skin and adipose tissue are excised from the upper arm, while minor sensory nerves in the region are either elongated, cauterized, or briefly stimulated. As edema diminishes and neural recovery commences, patients may experience acute, radiating pain, paresthesia, or heightened cutaneous sensitivity.  This frequently resembles a sunburn or heightened sensitivity to tactile stimuli.  These symptoms are typically attributed to transient nerve irritation, referred to as neurapraxia, rather than irreversible nerve injury.  The armlift procedure is conducted on the upper arm, where numerous sensory nerves traverse on their way to innervate the forearm.  The most often impacted nerves include the medial antebrachial cutaneous nerve, the intercostobrachial nerve, and the superficial branches of the radial nerve. Inflammation or stretching of these nerves after surgery can cause pain to radiate into the forearm, despite the surgical site being located higher on the arm.
Nine days post-surgery, it remains an early stage in the recuperation process.  Intermittent sharp pains, regions of numbness accompanied by hypersensitive skin, minor edema, and a sensation of tightness along the incision line are commonly experienced. Sensory nerves exhibit a modest rate of regeneration, around 1 millimeter per day.  Progressive enhancement is anticipated over weeks to months rather than days.  Nonetheless, if discomfort worsens rather than gradually resolves, pronounced swelling in one arm, escalating redness or warmth, fever, weakness in the hand or wrist, or intense, persistent burning pain are atypical and necessitate rapid communication with your plastic surgeon.  These indications may signify a problem necessitating assessment.  Typically, acute neuropathic pain and cutaneous sensitivity during this phase post-brachioplasty are transient and exhibit considerable improvement between 3 and 12 weeks.  Regular consultation with your plastic surgeon is crucial, since they possess the most comprehensive understanding of your treatment and can assess whether your experiences align with anticipated recovery parameters.
Since an arm lift can be a challenging surgery, please seek an experienced, board certified plastic surgeon with significant experience performing these types of lifts. Do your research.  Make sure they have performed at least 150 arm lift procedures.  Make sure they have the before-and-after  pictures to prove it.  Carefully examine their before-and-after  pictures and check their reviews on RealSelf.   Sincerely, Dr. Katzen, MD, MBA, FACS, FICS ( Plastic Surgeon , President of  the American Society of Bariatric Plastic Surgeons, certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, Fellow of the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, American College of Surgery, International College of Surgery, and American Board of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery,  and ​member of the American Society of Plastic Surgery, American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery and RealSelf Hall of Fame.)

Jeffrey D. Wagner, MD · Answer

Nerve discomfort in the forearm is fairly common after a brachioplasty due to nerve injury.  This may manifest as numbness, pain, dysesthesias, or tingling.  This type of thing usually resolves after a period of time, but not always.  You should discuss with your surgeon if it does not.

Guy Cappuccino, MD · Answer

First off- please tell your surgeon so he or she can examine you to make sure everything is healing as expected.

That being said, it is not unusual to have such pains a few weeks after surgery as the nerves may be "coming back online" following the trauma of surgery.  Also, the skin may be hypersensitive for this same reason.  All sounds pretty normal to me. I find light compression to be effective in managing this.Good luck

Dr. C

Zachary Farris, MD, FACS · Answer

Thank you for your question.  This may be an indication of a nerve injury or sensitivity.  Please contact your surgeon to evaluate this further.  Good luck.

A sharp nerve type pain in my left forearm after brachioplasty.

Answers (5)

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