It’s not unusual for patients
to complain of tightness of the chest following breast augmentation surgery.
This tightness is related to spasm of the chest wall muscles and swelling of
the adjacent soft tissue. It’s more common when implants are placed beneath the
muscles, but can occur with sub glandular placement as well.
In an effort to minimize these symptoms, a variety of
strategies have been utilized. Swelling is managed with compression devices and
support bras. Although swelling can be significant in the early post-operative
period, it tends to resolve rapidly.
Chest wall tightness can also result from spasm of the
chest wall muscles. When this occurs, muscle relaxants and massage are helpful.
Massage of the back helps relax the anterior chest wall muscles. These muscles
are connected by layers of fibrous tissue and for this reason; massage of the
back can help alleviate spasm in the frontal muscles which cover the breast
implants.
With time, these symptoms improve and patients are
ultimately happy. If you have tightness following breast augmentation, make
sure you discuss the issue with your plastic surgeon.
