Axillary Web Syndrome: Everything You Need To Know

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Chapters

0:00 Introduction
1:05 Etiopathogenes
1:41 Incidence
2:00 Symptoms
2:12 when do i need to worry about my condition
2:36 Treatment
3:14 Prognosis

Got these strings underneath your arm or in your arm, be it forearm, hand or any other portion of your arm?

What is axillary web syndrome?
This is a medical condition characterized by cord like structures under arms or in the arm itself. This condition is also termed as cording. Unlike the name axillary web syndrome, it doesn’t always manifest itself in web form but more like strings.
Research shows that these cords are fluid-filled lymphatic vessels disrupted during the surgery of the axillary area.

Causes
The condition is majorly a post-operative condition that involves the removal of lymph nodes near or under the arm. Mainly it is associated with breast cancer surgery, but there could be other potential conditions like lymphoma, melanoma, etc. in which the surgeries are done to eradicate the cancer cells.

Etiopathogenesis
Removal of lymph nodes from the arm or under-arm area during the surgical procedure, leads to disruption of lymphatic system resulting in its irritation and triggers inflammatory reaction. That inflammed area under the skin feels like tender cords. These cords are sticking under the scare tissue causing pain and discomfort.
The cords are either running down the arm up to the hand or down to the way of chest wall. These are mostly seen with two to four weeks after the surgery but there is no fixed time and could take months or years to make that special appearance.

Incidence
Approximately 50% of people are affected by this and is highly unpredictable as to who will get this post-op condition.However, there are no predisposing factors known for this so far. Hence, its neither your or your surgeon’s fault if you’ve got that.



Symptoms
● Inability to move arm normally
● Inability to straighten the arm
● Pain in the affected region
● Shoulder dysfunction

When do I need to worry about my condition?
If the cords are just there chilling and not causing you any pain or discomfort, just staying there with a mutual understanding, you need not worry about that. Just let it be!
However, if it is causing immobility, pain or discomfort, you need to see your health practitioner.
Also in some cases, you may not be able to see the cords, but there could be certain limitations in the mobility of your arm.

Treatment
In some cases, the cords resolve own their own and not persist for a long time period. But in some cases, they can become chronic and give you a hard time dealing with the situation.
Physiotherapy is a very effective way to deal with this condition. The skin is stretched with the hands and this way skin traction is done to release those scar tissues sticking under the cords. manage the pain.
You can also do it at your home by stretching your arm with gentle exercises.
These could be:
✓ Gravity assisted pec stretch
✓ Sidelying pec stretch
✓ Large shoulder circles


Prognosis
Axillary web syndrome doesn’t cause any permanent problem. Though it involves the lymphatic system but is not as bad in prognosis as lymphedema. The worst case scenario here is pain, discomfort and immobility.

Busting Myth
Axillary web syndrome causes recurrence of the cancer.
This is a complete myth. Axillary web syndrome doesn’t cause the recurrence of any cancer. It is just a local inflammatory condition and plays no role in recurrence of the cancer.