Breast Augmentation: 10 Ways to Reduce Pain After Your Surgery
Posted December 06, 2019 in Breast Augmentation
4 Min Read
Do you desire breast augmentation but are afraid of the pain afterward?
Stretching can be beneficial for pain management after breast augmentation.
Even when you have the most skilled surgeon available, there will be pain after your breast augmentation. Breast enhancement surgery uses complicated, invasive techniques that cut through skin, muscles, and connective tissues. These techniques allow your surgeon to insert implants into the breast pocket that enhance the size and shape of the breasts.
Being afraid of breast augmentation pain is enough to make some women question their surgical desires; however, many women find that with the correct preparation, breast augmentation discomfort is nothing to stress about.
1. Take Prescribed or Over-the-Counter Pain Medication
Your breast pain will be most severe in the first two to three days after augmentation. This discomfort may take the form of sharp pains in the chest, pain under the muscle, nipple pain, incision pain, or sharp burning pain.
This discomfort can be lessened or alleviated with pain medication. You will be given a prescription by your surgeon to use for the first three to five days of your breast augmentation recovery.
Most surgeons recommend switching to non-narcotic pain medication like TYLENOL® after five to seven days.
Some women choose to take TYLENOL® from the start to avoid prescription medication. If you can do this, there are added benefits to using a non-narcotic medicine, such as the fact that it is non-addictive.
2. Try a Pain Pump
A pain pump may be an alternative to prescription pain medication or a tool to use alongside the medication. Pain pumps resemble small balloons that are attached to the body by small tubes inserted into the breast pocket. These balloons carry numbing medications that slowly drip into the breast area for two to three days when the pain is most intense.
These drains will be removed after two to three days.
3. Support the Breasts
A compression garment will be wrapped around the breasts following the operation that will reduce pain by promoting blood circulation. This garment must be worn around the clock for pain management, swelling reduction, and proper healing.
Once you have been permitted to remove the compression garment by your surgeon, you should switch to a supportive sports bra. Support is an essential key to reducing post-operative breast pain and ensuring that your breasts maintain a youthful appearance.
4. Keep Your Chest Elevated
You should keep your chest above your heart whenever possible in the days following your operation. This will improve your circulation and reduce swelling.
It is recommended that you relax and sleep in an upright position with pillows behind your back.
5. Take a Break From the Gym
Some women think that the fastest way to recover is through strenuous exercise and immediately returning to their regular routines.
This can backfire and prolong your healing period, which will also extend the length of time that you experience post-operative pain.
Your body needs time to heal before returning to your regular routines.
6. Hydrate
Fluids help your body recover faster, and the quicker you recover, the sooner you will experience pain relief.
Drink plenty of water and hydrating fluids, such as herbal tea or broth.
7. Get on Your Feet
While you do not want to over-exert yourself, getting on your feet and walking gets your blood moving without placing stress on the chest. This allows you to not only recover quicker—and reduce the possibility of blood clots—but provides you with an overall feeling of wellness.
8. Practice Light Stretching
Just like walking, light stretches can be beneficial for pain management and recovery. Exercises like arm circles and shoulder rolls can progressively stretch the chest muscles without over-straining them.
You should stretch periodically throughout the initial days of your recovery.
9. Begin Implant Massages
Breast massages provide several benefits after breast augmentation, such as keeping the implants soft and reducing the possibility of capsular contracture. These massages also help to prevent or shorten breast pain.
Massages should start one to two weeks after surgery, once your incisions have healed.
10. Avoid Underwire Bras
While you do not have to say good-bye to underwire bras forever, it is wise to avoid these bras for several months following your breast augmentation as the wires may irritate the healing incisions and prolong your discomfort.
Interested in Learning More?
If you want to learn more about what to expect from your breast augmentation recovery or to set up a consultation with Dr. Grazer, contact his Newport Beach office by calling (949) 644-1240 or by filling out our online contact form.