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Lately I have been having a lot of pain in my shoulders and arms due to the fact that my breasts are very large and heavy. The strap of my bra digs down into my shoulder area and is causing damage to the nerve that goes to my arms and shoulders causing this pain.
Most of you would say, "don't wear a bra", but that is not the solution either since my breasts are so heavy that it is very difficult to breath when I am not wearing a bra, and also my chest muscles begin to hurt within minutes. I have always worn a bra, even while sleeping because of this.
I have considered getting a bra with padded straps and I am wondering if anyone else with a similar malady has tried these? I wish that someone would invent a sling (similar to a baby sling), so that the weight could be more even distributed rather than resting solely on the shoulders.
Does anyone have any other ideas or suggestions? It's getting to the point that I am actually losing mobility in my arms because of the damage and I don't want to risk it becoming permanent.
Thanks for any advice or input.
20yrsinBranson
PS Yes, losing weight is an option, and one that I am working on.
There are a few reasons this may be happening. Many women wear the wrong size, so perhaps that is something to consider.
Have you tried different styles such as a convertible style or racerback? Thick straps or padded straps may help. Straps should never be so tight they dig in.
I'm a large busted woman myself. I've been wanting to try the racerback as I hear it takes the load off your shoulders. You wouldn't need to wear it everyday, but a few days rest may work wonders.
There are a few reasons this may be happening. Many women wear the wrong size, so perhaps that is something to consider.
Have you tried different styles such as a convertible style or racerback? Thick straps or padded straps may help. Straps should never be so tight they dig in.
I'm a large busted woman myself. I've been wanting to try the racerback as I hear it takes the load off your shoulders. You wouldn't need to wear it everyday, but a few days rest may work wonders.
It's a good thought. Also sports bras seem to spread out the weight a little more evenly. It's worth a try anyway.
If the straps are digging into your shoulders, you could be wearing the wrong band size. You could try a smaller band size/larger cup size. Wider, padded straps will also help. Also, you could try a sports bra for casual wear.
Wear a more supportive bra, with wider straps. Padded straps help somewhat but if you're very full in front, you need the -back- to be extremely sturdy. That way, your shoulders won't bear the entire burden of keeping your girls happy
I'm very full as well and I have the misfortune of having sloped, narrow shoulders. So I can't wear any of those Cacique bras. They just don't support well enough. I need an underwire AND side-support strips, -no less- than 3 hooks in the back, preferably four, and the straps *must* not be set too wide.
Playtex has some, as does Bali and Warner. If there's a corsetier anywhere near where you live, you should go to them and get fitted for one of the better bras, like a decent Wacoal. It'll cost you more money, but it'll cost less stress on your shoulders. They can run up to around $80 each. And once you find the type that fits you properly and offers the best support, you can *sometimes* find the same bra for less, the next time, in department stores. You will -not- find a Wacoal in Target though. I mean like, Macy's, or Nordstrom, Neiman-Marcus, etc.
Currently I'm doing pretty well with a Playtex but if I could afford it I'd totally get a Wacoal or one of the other better brands. The Playtex has the support and lining (not padded, just lined so you don't look too perky when you're cold), but the back is just a tad flimsier than I'd like it to be.
Eww don't get a sports bra. We big gals look all SMUSHED in those! That's pretty much the point of those sports bras. They smush your boobs as flat as possible against your chest wall so they don't bounce around when you are active. They work great but look HORRIBLE under clothing. You could try a minimizer but again watch out for that whole flattening effect, make sure the style you find actually flatters you under your clothes.
How are your surgical skills? I suggest you go and buy the game operation, try it out and go from there
Seriously I guess the only thing I could think of is surgery as I have the opposite problem with girls. I'm a 38B.
Wear a more supportive bra, with wider straps. Padded straps help somewhat but if you're very full in front, you need the -back- to be extremely sturdy. That way, your shoulders won't bear the entire burden of keeping your girls happy
I'm very full as well and I have the misfortune of having sloped, narrow shoulders. So I can't wear any of those Cacique bras. They just don't support well enough. I need an underwire AND side-support strips, -no less- than 3 hooks in the back, preferably four, and the straps *must* not be set too wide.
Playtex has some, as does Bali and Warner. If there's a corsetier anywhere near where you live, you should go to them and get fitted for one of the better bras, like a decent Wacoal. It'll cost you more money, but it'll cost less stress on your shoulders. They can run up to around $80 each. And once you find the type that fits you properly and offers the best support, you can *sometimes* find the same bra for less, the next time, in department stores. You will -not- find a Wacoal in Target though. I mean like, Macy's, or Nordstrom, Neiman-Marcus, etc.
Currently I'm doing pretty well with a Playtex but if I could afford it I'd totally get a Wacoal or one of the other better brands. The Playtex has the support and lining (not padded, just lined so you don't look too perky when you're cold), but the back is just a tad flimsier than I'd like it to be.
I'm pretty sure that the size is correct. I don't have any bulges or things sticking out. The band size is good. It could not be any smaller without cutting out my circulation and making breathing impossible.
The problem is really the weight issue. I have extraordinarily dense breast tissue. If you pick up a 5 pound container of sugar at the grocery store, and compare, I would say that the sugar is only just a little bit lighter. If I had to guess, I'd say each one weighs more than 3 pounds, or six pounds total. It's a terrible load for an bra to handle.
so you can see that I am not concerned with appearance as much as I am with function.
20yrsinBranson
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