Is numbness a side effect of radiation?

Damage to the nerves in the shoulder and arm: Radiation to the breast can sometimes damage some of the nerves to the arm. This is called brachial plexopathy and can lead to numbness, tingling, pain, and weakness in the shoulder, arm, and hand.

Can radiation cause nerve damage?

Surgery and radiation therapy can also cause nerve damage that leads to PN. But the most common cause is chemotherapy. Certain kinds of chemo can damage nerves. This often starts during treatment.

Can radiation for breast cancer cause neuropathy?

Surgery and radiation therapy also may cause damage to nerves in the chest and underarm areas, which can lead to neuropathic symptoms such as pain, numbness, tingling, and/or increased sensitivity in those areas.

What are the side effects of nerve damage?

The signs of nerve damage

  • Numbness or tingling in the hands and feet.
  • Feeling like you’re wearing a tight glove or sock.
  • Muscle weakness, especially in your arms or legs.
  • Regularly dropping objects that you’re holding.
  • Sharp pains in your hands, arms, legs, or feet.
  • A buzzing sensation that feels like a mild electrical shock.

Can nerve damage affect the breast?

Damage to the peripheral nerves (peripheral neuropathy) can also result in breast burning sensation.

Can you have nerve damage in your breast?

Undergoing breast surgery and the formation of scar tissue can lead to breast pain. The severity and type of pain vary between individuals and ranges from no pain to severe pain. It can result from nerve damage or inflammation. Pain may affect the surface of the breast, or it may be deep.

What causes tingling and numbness in the breast?

When nerve signals are “blocked” it can cause tingling sensations. Paresthesia in the breast is typically caused by changes to the breast or breast surgery. It is very rarely a symptom of breast cancer 2 ⭐ . Get more information on potential causes for tingling in breast, a prickly feeling in breast or partial numbness in breast.

Is it normal to have numbness after breast cancer surgery?

Tingling and numbness can also occur due to breast cancer surgery, according to the American Cancer Society. These sensations may even increase a few weeks after the procedure. Do note where exactly the sensation occurs, however.

What kind of treatment for breast cancer causes numbness?

Certain breast cancer treatments can cause numbness: surgery chemotherapy radiation therapy some hormonal therapies: Faslodex (chemical name: fulvestrant) tamoxifen some targeted therapies: Avastin (chemical name: bevacizumab) Tykerb (chemical name: lapatinib)

How to tell if you have breast pain?

Tingling, burning, zinging, tender — these are just some of the words my patients use to describe breast pain, a common condition in women of all ages. By the time they come to see me in my Melrose office, most women have had breast pain for a month or two.