Breast Reduction Improves Shape and Relieves Back and Neck Pain, Raleigh, NC*

Breast reduction is a very effective means to alleviate neck and back pain . Breast reduction involves removal of excess breast tissue and reshaping of the remaining breast tissue. This patient was overweight but despite efforts at weight loss never was able to alleviate her neck and back pain as weight loss did not change the shape or size of her breasts. She wore a size 44H cup and had chronic pain in her neck and back. Her condition is called macromastia or sometimes also called gigantomastia or breast hypertrophy. The patient underwent bilateral breast reduction utilizing an inverted T also known as Wise pattern reduction. She had 2162 g of tissue removed from the left side and 2130 g from the right side which is a total of nearly 9.5 pounds of excess breast tissue removed. She had marked improvement in her neck and back pain and now wears a size D Cup brassiere. Breast reduction is sometimes covered by insurance, however Dr. Lyle does not accept insurance. Although it is very helpful to lose weight prior to surgery even patients in the obese category can have significant improvement with neck and back pain and breast shape with reduction. Breast reduction is a very powerful tool to improve patient's lives. The recovery can range from 2 weeks to 4 weeks.