Pain from scar tissue after rectal cancer surgery

[Bryher]

Hi. I had operation in 2016 for rectal cancer and spent one month in hospital due to experiencing leakage. I had a lot of pain which no seemed to know the answer to. After removal of colostomy pain was acute. Researched on internet and read about Astym Treatment (am British but live in The Netherlands where they call it Soft Tissue Treatment STT). Well I tell you what a difference after my physiotherapist gave me this treatment - felt so relieved) Pain has 100% gone. Would love to hear from anyone else who has tried this treatment as it meant no more painkillers for me.

[Lee]

Interesting. This was many years ago on another site. A father (Cancer Dad was his name) who was diagnosed 6 month prior to my diagnoses. He had acute pain in his hip rectum area and no one could figure out why. Dr.(s) just assume it was some kind of nerve damage from surgery. He had to retire from work due to the pain. I wonder if he had what you are describing here, STT. Wish I could find him and forward this info on to him.

Thank you for sharing,

Lee

[MissMolly]

Bryher:
I am glad that you found a skilled physical therapist to treat your pain due to radiated tissue.

Radiation is known to cause damage to soft tissue. Soft tissue is one of the collateral damages of radiation therapy.

You can draw anologies to microwave ovens and the effects on foods. Radiation can cause dense thickening of tendons and ligaments (which serve to attach bone and muscle to bone) - like leather. Radiation reduces the gliding of soft tissue and muscles between one another. The effect is a lower body that feels stiff and cumbersome, like the Tin Man of The Wizard of Oz. Radiation affects joints, making joints more stiff to move. In the case of treatment for rectal cancer, the hip and sacrifice-iliac joints are most affected. People will most often complain of difficulty crossing one leg over the other. Adhesive capsulitis of the hip is a common finding.

Soft tissue mobilization involves a specific type of deep tissue massage that serves to realign tissue fibers. It is like unknotting a tangled ball of yarn. Myofacial release is another terminology. Graston Therapy or Graston Technique is an advanced form of soft tissue mobilization that is highly effective. Therapists must be advanced certified in the Graston Technique.

The relief of pain with tissue mobilization comes from the freeing of tissues otherwise tethered and constructed. Relief of pain also comes from the freeing of trapped sensory nerve endings embedded in scar tissue.

For anyone with hip and/or low back stiffness and restricted range of motion post pelvic radiation, a good physical therapist can be worth their weight in gold.
- K -

[Jolene]

Bryher:
I am glad that you found a skilled physical therapist to treat your pain due to radiated tissue.

Radiation is known to cause damage to soft tissue. Soft tissue is one of the collateral damages of radiation therapy.

You can draw anologies to microwave ovens and the effects on foods. Radiation can cause dense thickening of tendons and ligaments (which serve to attach bone and muscle to bone) - like leather. Radiation reduces the gliding of soft tissue and muscles between one another. The effect is a lower body that feels stiff and cumbersome, like the Tin Man of The Wizard of Oz. Radiation affects joints, making joints more stiff to move. In the case of treatment for rectal cancer, the hip and sacrifice-iliac joints are most affected. People will most often complain of difficulty crossing one leg over the other. Adhesive capsulitis of the hip is a common finding.

Soft tissue mobilization involves a specific type of deep tissue massage that serves to realign tissue fibers. It is like unknotting a tangled ball of yarn. Myofacial release is another terminology. Graston Therapy or Graston Technique is an advanced form of soft tissue mobilization that is highly effective. Therapists must be advanced certified in the Graston Technique.

The relief of pain with tissue mobilization comes from the freeing of tissues otherwise tethered and constructed. Relief of pain also comes from the freeing of trapped sensory nerve endings embedded in scar tissue.

For anyone with hip and/or low back stiffness and restricted range of motion post pelvic radiation, a good physical therapist can be worth their weight in gold.
- K -

Hi Miss Molly - Thank you for such informative and detailed post !

I just want to bring up this thread again as I have started experiencing stiffness in my hips post-radiation. I do yoga and realised that there are some postures that I can't quite achieve it as well as before ! No docs mentioned anything about hip stiffness and I am starting to wonder if I should start looking for a physical therapist to do something about it !

The hip stiffness also seems to have an effect on my knees - it's as if the hip can't quite take the weight of the body and passed on the responsibility onwards to the knee... I don't quite know how to explain it well. It's a strange sensation which I have never felt before.

I am also experiencing some unexplained slight finger stiffness at the same time !!

I know I will be experiencing early menopausal with the potential of having osteoporosis but surely it can't be that quick ? I'm only 6 weeks in post radiation.

I have not gone through surgery nor mop-up chemo yet, so the only culprit is either the radiation or the light dosage of capcitabine ?

Anyone else experiencing the same thing who can share ? So many weird changes to the body that it's freaking me out and this is before mop-up chemo and surgery ! Goodness !

Many thanks !

[Jolene]

**Update**

Spoke with radiation oncologist today about the hip stiffness 6 weeks after my radiation. He did a few hip test with me and suspected that it could be just muscle inflammation and not any shady joint/bone issues. He admitted that radiation could inflame anything in it's way including muscles and tissues but was more concerned that it is not bone cancer symptoms ! Apparently I am the first patient to raise any hip issue in his years as a radiation oncologist !

The stiffness loosen up or warms up up after walking hence suspicious of inflammation. If it was any other shady joint/bone issue, the stiffness wouldn't actually improve even after warming up. That was how he suspect it as inflammation.

Long story short, placed me under observation for now - prescribed with some aspirin for relief in the event stiffness turns into pain. And if it turns painful, he will then recommend me to an orthopedic.

I asked if a physio was necessary at this stage but his advise was that it is better to go to an orthopedic (medically trained) first and have the orthopedic recommend a physio in due time instead of going straight to one on my own.

So let's see..... !