Yes, nerve healing can cause sensations.
Recovery of the neurovascular system in the context of breast enlargement and cosmetic breast reconstruction is a biological process at the cellular level and one of the most complicated ones. When people inquire whether it is normal to experience “electric shocks,” “zaps,” or pointed “stings” during the weeks after the operation, the medical reply is definitely YES.
In fact, the main reason why one might feel such sensations is that nerves are being regenerated, and tissues are adapting. Surgically forming the implant pocket leads to the unavoidable stretching or temporary compression of sensory nerves supplying the breast and nipple (mainly the intercostal nerves) that also happen to be quite sensitive. The “stunned” nerves, which have been jolted during the opening of the implant pocket, start “waking up” (at the proliferative phase, your body will be making new collagen) and offer the brain a variety of random hyper-sensitive signals. These electric shocks, although quite scary, are indeed the brain notifying you successfully.
At Lin Health Europe Clinic, we call these sharp sensations the “neurological reset” of the breast tissue. For our international patients who come to Turkey for surgery, we stress that sensory alterations are only a short-term sacrifice for the long-lasting beauty of the figure. Our clinic is the top place for advanced submuscular augmentation, and there we rely on nerve-sparing methods to minimize trauma. So, your trip to Istanbul for a more voluminous and confident profile can be confidently expected to be up to the highest standards in terms of physiological recovery and comfort, all under our care.
Intercostal Nerves: Where Do Your Feelings Come from?
One should become familiar with the sensory nerve supply of the breast to understand why they feel electric shocks. Sensory perception of breast skin and nipple is possible due to the 3rd, 4th, and 5th lateral and anterior cutaneous branches of the intercostal nerves. Whenever an implant is introduced to the breast—either underneath or on top of the muscle—it occupies the spot that was previously full of tissue. Hence, this new volume places mechanical tension on these nerve fibers.
Despite some nerves being cut under direct vision of the knife, considered as quite a last resort, our surgeons at the Lin Health Europe Clinic in Turkey are very well-trained to avoid such situations. However, the “stretching” of these nerves, which occurs during the operation, is a natural part of the procedure that cannot be avoided. Such stretching keeps the affected nerves in a state of temporary neuropraxia, meaning the nerves fail to transmit signals. Once the nerves commence the healing process, their firing becomes erratic and causes a “zapping”-type sensation that many patients talk about in Istanbul.
The “Electric Shock” as a Sign of Nerve Healing
According to medical research, nerve repair occurs much more slowly than skin or muscle does. The sensation “electric shock” is something that usually starts happening during the 3rd week to the 3rd-month period of the recovery phase. Learning that the shock sensation coincides with the time when neocollagenesis (the synthesis of new collagen) is most active will come as no surprise. As the pressure (edema) of the internal swelling decreases, the nerve pressure also changes. This state leads to the microscopic “axons” reconnecting to one another within the nerves.
In our Istanbul clinic, we usually say that the sharp pains that come and go very quickly are, in fact, a “milestone of progress.” This progression indicates the temporary numbing is coming to an end, and the patient’s body is well on its way to adapting the implant into its local neural representation in Turkey.
Implant Pressure and Sensory “Stunning”
The implant’s weight and its location inside your body are two major factors influencing your nerve behavior. By going for submuscular (dual-plane) placement, the implant will be positioned underneath the pectoralis major muscle. This placement will give you the appearance of more breast tissue in the upper part, but initially, it may also cause more “stunning” of the nerves nearest to the chest wall.
The muscle has to be stretched during the first few months in Turkey so that the implant can fit into it. The expansion of the muscle can result in it pressing, from time to time, on the sensory branches nearby which will cause a “tight” feeling along with sharp and localized pain. Pressure exerted by the implant is strictly controlled, giving the nerves enough room to develop. Lin Health Europe Clinic in Istanbul, with you sharing the assurance of final recovery free from long-term nerve compression.
Timeline for sensory recovery: 6-to-12 months
Recovery of sensory nerve function takes longer than other stages of breast augmentation. Although the surface looks as if perfectly healed after two weeks, the internal restructuring of nerves requires much more time.
- Months 1–3: Electric shocks and “zapping” occur quite often. Some areas of the breast are still completely numb.
- Months 4–6: There are fewer shocks and often these are replaced by a “tingling” sensation or hypersensitivity.
- Month 12: Most patients have settled on a “new normal” sensation.
We keep reminding our international patients coming to Turkey that they should be patient; evaluating their final nipple sensation before the one-year period is clinically not justified. At Lin Health Europe Clinic, we take care of our patients long-term to monitor sensory changes and ensure the sensory transition in Istanbul stays within the normal biological ranges.
Healing Vs Complications
Electric shocks can be indicative of healing; however, it is a must to be able to tell them apart from signs that point to complications. To that end, our care team in Turkey is available around the clock to assist you in distinguishing “healing pain” from “warning signs.”
- Normal: Brief and sharp “electric shocks”, mild tenderness, occasional numbness.
- Abnormal: Constant and burning pain so intense as to prevent sleep; the breast is red and hot to the touch; sudden change in the shape or hardness of the breast.
If electric shocks come with the feeling of “tightness” and the breast that is causing such a feeling is also notably harder than the other, then it is likely to be a sign of capsular contracture. Nonetheless, the diligent professionalism we display during surgery in Istanbul (including the use of “no-touch” techniques) almost eliminates the chance of these complications so that our patients in Turkey.
FAQ:
It is normal to experience sharp “zaps” or electric shocks as a sign that your sensory nerves are regenerating and waking up after being stretched during surgery. Typically, these sensations are at their strongest between 3 weeks and 3 months as the tissues in Turkey are healing.
Generally, most patients in Istanbul recover nearly all of their sensation within six to twelve months as the nerves mature completely and the swelling inside settles down. Although the nerves in some spots may take longer to adjust, the period of neocollagenesis finally brings the sensory network into a stable state in Turkey.
Getting bigger implants can result in them pressing the intercostal nerves more, so it is rational that during the initial recovery phase you may experience electric shocks more often or stronger ones. Our experts in Istanbul conduct biometric mapping to pinpoint your implant size to your body, so there will be least possible strain on the nerves.
Electric shocks simply signal nerve healing and do not indicate a saline or silicone implant rupture as a clinical symptom. If you want our clinic in Turkey can provide you with high-resolution imaging to verify that your implant shell is intact.
Although you are unable to halt the biological process of nerve regeneration, you can reduce the irritation from friction that causes these shocks by wearing a supportive surgical bra and refraining from lifting heavy objects. In time, as the tissues in Istanbul become less tense and the nerves get mature, these sensations will simply fade away.
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