Women who have large and heavy breasts commonly develop symptoms including back pain, neck pain or painful shoulders. Breast reduction surgery is the optimum treatment for reducing the size of large breasts and permanently alleviating symptoms associated with heavy breasts. The levels of patient satisfaction following breast reduction are one of the highest of any cosmetic surgery carried out at Centre for Surgery in London. Women often report a significant boost in self-confidence with an ability to carry out activities they could not before, including playing sports.
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Can large breasts cause back pain?
Back pain is one of the most common symptoms experienced by women with large breasts. Heavy breasts often result in developing a poor posture due to slouching and having to reposition the shoulders forward to tolerate the weight of heavy breasts. Symptoms may even develop in the hands due to compression of nerve fibres over the collar bones by bra straps being pulled down.
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Can breast reduction surgery cure back pain?
Suppose your surgeon has clinically assessed you and believes the cause of your back pain is large and heavy breasts. In that case, breast reduction is the best treatment for permanently relieving disabling symptoms, including back pain. When the breasts are made smaller with breast reduction, there are several important benefits, including:
- An improved posture due to less force acting on the spine leads to less risk of abnormal spinal curvature.
- Bra straps feel less tight as smaller breasts exert less force within the bra.
- Patients can more comfortably carry out many types of aerobic exercise without pain or shortness of breath.
- The spine is better preserved due to fewer forces acting on it, with an associated reduction in nerve root entrapment.
- Patients often tell us they feel more mobile and energetic with better enjoyment of sporting activities.
Can you still have back pain after having a breast reduction?
Whilst women may develop temporary back discomfort after breast reduction surgery, this is very uncommon. The most common reason for back pain to persist for one to 2 weeks is your positioning on the operating room table for 3 to 4 hours whilst you are asleep. You may also develop back pain due to your posture improving, or in how you lift objects. In both cases, these back pain symptoms settle within the first two weeks after surgery.
Other causes of back pain after surgery include:
- Patients who wear ill-fitting bras
- A prolapsed intervertebral disc causing nerve root pain
- Being overweight or obese
- Conditions of the spine, such as osteoporosis
- Poor posture and limited mobility
What do breast reduction scars look like?
What are the benefits of breast reduction surgery?
Breast reduction has several benefits in addition to the relief of back pain, which include:
- Patients have more confidence in wearing different styles of clothing, including more fitted clothing
- Patients can carry out a more comprehensive range of exercises or sporting activities without pain or discomfort
- The relief of skin irritation or skin rashes in the lower breast folds
- Patients often find it more straightforward to find correctly fitting bras without the need to choose a specialist supplier.
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Am I suitable for breast reduction?
If you find your large and heavy breasts to be a continual problem which may affect your ability to carry out certain everyday activities, then breast reduction could be the ideal procedure for you. To determine suitability for breast reduction surgery, we would advise having a face-to-face consultation with an expert breast reduction surgeon who carries out this procedure frequently. Patients must be over the age of 18 and be in good general physical and mental health to be eligible for a breast reduction procedure at Centre for Surgery in London.
Breast reduction in London at Centre for Surgery
Can I get breast reduction surgery for back pain on the NHS?
In a limited number of cases, patients may be eligible for breast reduction surgery on the NHS, and you would be advised to consult your GP first as the local clinical commissioning groups or CCGs determine treatment eligibility. In some areas of the UK, breast reduction surgery is not funded by the NHS. The selection criteria for breast reduction in the NHS are rigorous, and all depend on several factors, including your age and whether you have been unable to achieve benefits with other treatment options. Your body mass index and whether you are a smoker will also determine treatment eligibility. You will require a referral letter from your GP, which may take a long time in the current climate. You may have waited many months only to be told by your GP that you are not eligible for NHS treatment. The best way to have treatment without the anxiety of long waiting lists is to have a breast reduction at a specialist cosmetic surgery clinic in London, such as Centre for Surgery.
Why have breast reduction surgery at Centre for Surgery?
- We are the leading cosmetic surgery clinic in London and the UK, with expertise across the full range of cosmetic breast surgery.
- Our surgeons have over 50 years of combined experience in all types of breast reduction.
- A face-to-face preoperative medical assessment by one of our nurses to ensure you are in the best medical condition for the procedure.
- A state-of-the-art day-case facility in central London.
- Hundreds of verified five-star Google on Trustpilot reviews.
- Over 97% of patients would recommend us to their friends and family.
- Our post-operative after-care has been described as outstanding by the Care Quality Commission.
- View our breast reduction before and after photos
Breast reduction recovery
Following reduction mammoplasty, you should avoid undertaking any strenuous physical activity, including heavy lifting, for at least six weeks.
You may notice bruising and swelling, which will last around four weeks. You will be able to reduce this by using a cold compress, particularly during the first two days. You will also be provided with a prescription of painkillers to alleviate any discomfort.
Most women are ready to return to work in five to seven days, sometimes less, depending on the type of breast reduction they had.
Breast reduction surgery results in the formation of scars on the breasts. These will be located around the areola, down the breast and across the crease. Over time, scars undergo maturation with resultant fading – this differs for each individual, although scarring never disappears completely. The vast majority are extremely pleased with their new breasts that any scars are accepted and can often be concealed by undergarments very well. In cosmetic surgery, breast reduction has one of the highest patient satisfaction rates.
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The final breast size can take anywhere from 6 months all the way to 1 year after your procedure. There are a number of factors that can influence the duration, including your overall state of health, smoking and nutritional factors.
Swelling of the breasts can last for many months. Centre for Surgery recommends complying with all postoperative instructions to ensure the recovery process is smooth with minimal risk of complications and achieve the best results.
If you would like to learn more about breast reduction surgery or book a face-to-face consultation, please get in touch with us at 020 7993 4849 and speak to one of our friendly and knowledgeable patient coordinators.
