Talking with your care team about post-mastectomy numbness
Great strides have been made in breast cancer treatment and surgery. However, even with this progress, many women are unaware of a potential side effect: chest numbness. Many also don’t know that it’s possible to reverse or mitigate numbness through a surgical nerve repair technique called Resensation®.
How post-mastectomy numbness occurs
Our bodies rely on nerves to communicate signals to the brain, allowing us to feel touch, temperature, and pain. During a mastectomy, nerves supplying the breast and nipple area are necessarily severed to remove tissue. Unfortunately, this can lead to numbness, even in nipple-sparing procedures. This informative resource explains the impact on nerves during mastectomy in more detail.
Why sensation matters
Having feeling in your chest is critical for safety and quality of life. Numbness can make it difficult to feel hot oil splatters while cooking, the poke of a bra wire digging into your skin or excess heat from a hot warming pad. Unfortunately, these risks can become a part of everyday life. Sensation also connects us to others and is essential to how we interact with the world. Losing the ability to feel a hug or a loved one’s head resting on their heart can be distressing and can impact your self-confidence or feeling of “wholeness.” For many, breasts they can’t feel don’t feel like their own.
Restoring sensation after mastectomy
Resensation is a technique performed during breast reconstruction and some revision procedures. It involves reconnecting nerves that were cut during mastectomy using a nerve allograft. As the repaired nerves heal and grow, they can restore sensation over time. The procedure only adds minutes to the surgery and is performed by a microsurgical-trained plastic surgeon. For more details, check out this resource.
Questions for your surgical team
Whether facing a diagnosis, planning preventative treatment, or already had a mastectomy, it’s important to talk to your breast and plastic surgeons about post-mastectomy chest numbness to ensure all aspects of your care are considered. Here are some key questions to ask:
- What does numbness feel like? Imagine the temporary numbness after a dentist visit, but on a larger scale across your chest. Numbness can affect your sense of space, leading to bumping into things, feeling like your breasts are larger/disconnected, and difficulty with temperature and pressure perception. Some even experience phantom itching. Your surgeon can provide a more personalized understanding of how numbness might affect you.
- Can my nerves regenerate on their own? While some regain some sensation naturally, it’s inconsistent and often incomplete. Many do not get feeling back at all. Talking with your doctors about nerves — how they work, regenerate and more — can help you make informed decision about what’s best for you.
- How long does it take for sensation to return? Everyone’s experience is unique, but many describe feelings of “zaps,” “zings” and “tingles” as sensation gradually returns. Having reasonable expectations for regaining sensation is important, as everybody’s level of sensation is different before surgery and each person’s recovery will vary. Nerves are slow growing, and you may start regaining sensation several months after surgery, with feelings continuing to develop for up to two years.
- Can I connect with other patients? Surgeons experienced in Resensation can connect you with patients who’ve undergone the procedure. Talking to someone who has experienced chest numbness and Resensation can offer valuable real-life perspective. Ask them about their experience, any hesitations they had, how they prepared, and life after surgery. Watch this webinar to learn about Jocelyn’s Resensation experience.
- How can I support my recovery after Resensation? Sensory retraining is a set of simple exercises designed to encourage neuroplasticity (the brain’s ability to create new neural pathways) as your nerves regenerate and heal. Explore our guide and watch the video to learn more about sensory retraining.
Living a full life
A cancer diagnosis or hereditary risk can be overwhelming. However, feeling like yourself again after mastectomy is important. You deserve to be informed of all your options to make the best choices for your well-being. Visit Resensation.com to learn more, read patient stories, and find a surgeon near you.
This information, including illustrations, is noncommercial, provided for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice or substitute for professional medical advice. Always talk with your healthcare provider before starting sensory retraining. The level of sensation restored following use of the Resensation technique may vary and cannot be guaranteed, due to unique anatomy and other considerations. Please consult your surgeon for more detailed information.
Information provided by Sharsheret is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and should not be used to diagnose or treat a health problem. Always seek the advice of your physician or qualified health provider.
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