Mighty Well
  • Shop
  • Home
  • Friends in the Fight
    • Friends in the Fight

      Diagnosed With Diabetes… Now What?

      February 17, 2021February 17, 2021

      Friends in the Fight

      Body Positivity Month

      February 10, 2021February 11, 2021

      Friends in the Fight

      World Cancer Day: 5 ways to support someone…

      February 3, 2021February 3, 2021

      Friends in the Fight

      We Are Mighty Well

      January 22, 2021January 22, 2021

      Friends in the Fight

      Making the Invisible Visible

      December 16, 2020December 16, 2020

  • Chronic Illness
    • Chronic Illness

      Get Ready to Get Vaccinated

      April 16, 2021April 16, 2021

      Chronic Illness

      5 Tips for Staying Safe With Chronic Illness…

      March 31, 2021March 31, 2021

      Chronic Illness

      Chronic Illness Guide to Getting Organized for Confidence…

      March 24, 2021March 24, 2021

      Chronic Illness

      Launch of a New Product Line: Secondary Catheter…

      March 19, 2021March 21, 2021

      Chronic Illness

      Vaccine Complications With Chronic Illness

      March 10, 2021March 31, 2021

  • General Wellness
    • General Wellness

      Get Ready to Get Vaccinated

      April 16, 2021April 16, 2021

      General Wellness

      How (and Why) to Effectively Apologize

      April 7, 2021April 7, 2021

      General Wellness

      5 Tips for Staying Safe With Chronic Illness…

      March 31, 2021March 31, 2021

      General Wellness

      Chronic Illness Guide to Getting Organized for Confidence…

      March 24, 2021March 24, 2021

      General Wellness

      Four tips for living it up after vaccination

      March 17, 2021March 17, 2021

  • Shop
  • Home
  • Friends in the Fight
    • Friends in the Fight

      Diagnosed With Diabetes… Now What?

      February 17, 2021February 17, 2021

      Friends in the Fight

      Body Positivity Month

      February 10, 2021February 11, 2021

      Friends in the Fight

      World Cancer Day: 5 ways to support someone…

      February 3, 2021February 3, 2021

      Friends in the Fight

      We Are Mighty Well

      January 22, 2021January 22, 2021

      Friends in the Fight

      Making the Invisible Visible

      December 16, 2020December 16, 2020

  • Chronic Illness
    • Chronic Illness

      Get Ready to Get Vaccinated

      April 16, 2021April 16, 2021

      Chronic Illness

      5 Tips for Staying Safe With Chronic Illness…

      March 31, 2021March 31, 2021

      Chronic Illness

      Chronic Illness Guide to Getting Organized for Confidence…

      March 24, 2021March 24, 2021

      Chronic Illness

      Launch of a New Product Line: Secondary Catheter…

      March 19, 2021March 21, 2021

      Chronic Illness

      Vaccine Complications With Chronic Illness

      March 10, 2021March 31, 2021

  • General Wellness
    • General Wellness

      Get Ready to Get Vaccinated

      April 16, 2021April 16, 2021

      General Wellness

      How (and Why) to Effectively Apologize

      April 7, 2021April 7, 2021

      General Wellness

      5 Tips for Staying Safe With Chronic Illness…

      March 31, 2021March 31, 2021

      General Wellness

      Chronic Illness Guide to Getting Organized for Confidence…

      March 24, 2021March 24, 2021

      General Wellness

      Four tips for living it up after vaccination

      March 17, 2021March 17, 2021

Mighty Well

Chronic IllnessMedical DevicesPICC LineTreatment and Care

4 Tips For Reducing PICC Line Pain

by Ariela Paulsen March 3, 2021March 3, 2021
written by Ariela Paulsen
Mighty Well | PICCPerfect PICC Line Cover

Getting a PICC line (Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter) means opening yourself up to new treatment options and healing!  It can also feel scary.  Patients often ask us if PICC lines will hurt and, if so, how to best reduce the pain.  The answer is complicated.  Everyone is different, and every PICC placement is different.  Depending on how the procedure goes, how healthy you are when it is placed, and how well you take care of your line… hopefully, you will have no pain at all, other than the initial needle prick!  If you do find yourself in pain, there’s no need to panic — it may be perfectly normal and short-lived.  We’ll help you navigate the different types of pain and share some tips we’ve found for making it feel better.  Please remember, however, that we are not medical professionals, and you should always call your doctor if concerned.

1. swelling or soreness 

As the numbing medications wear off from your procedure, your arm will likely feel sore and swollen.  This tenderness can last a few days, and the swelling even longer.  The best way to manage this discomfort is rest, so do your best to ask for help and take it easy!  If you can, schedule in a few days off, to just take care of yourself and not overdo it.  You can also talk to your providers about ice packs, heating pads, and pain medications.  Always remember, however, that your insertion site must stay sterile, so be sure to place a clean cloth or antimicrobial PICC line cover in between the ice pack and your arm.

Click here for an overview of what to expect at your PICC line placement procedure and the following days.

2. sensitive skin

Another common pain-in-the-PICC is sensitive skin.  Between the incision, adhesives, and constant dressing changes, your skin has to go through a lot!  You may experience itching, blistering, or burning sensations, especially during dressing changes and if you have a history of allergies.  Ask your medical staff what products they are using.  You may find some adhesives and dressings less irritating than others.  For example, many patients find silicone dressings most comfortable.  Ask to try other options until you find a good fit.  If your skin won’t tolerate any of the adhesives you’ve tried, you can use a dry dressing — one without any adhesive!  You can also use a PICC line cover as a barrier to keep your sensitive skin protected.  Mighty Well’s PICCPerfect PICC line cover uses ultrasoft fabric in a two-layer design specifically for this purpose.

Check out our patient tips on which dressing products to try and reviews of the PICCPerfect for sensitive skin.

3. complications to watch out for

While some pains may be normal and nothing to worry about, you should always let your medical staff know if a new pain shows up.  PICC lines can have dangerous complications that are best dealt with right away.  

One such complication is infection.  Your catheter site gives germs access into your body, so it’s crucial to keep the area clean and dry!  Make sure that everyone on your team uses proper hand hygiene and only touches the area when necessary.  Redness, pain, or swelling near the catheter site — or tenderness along the path of the catheter — could be symptoms of a local infection.  Call your doctor right away if you are concerned about an infection.

Your PICC line can also become dislodged.  This complication is common, and your care team should be checking for this each time they change your dressings.  The best way to avoid dislodgement is to avoid activities that put stress on your arm.  Exercise is important, but stay away from anything that involves moving your arms a lot or lifting heavy objects.  Also avoid carrying heavy backpacks as much as possible.

If air gets into your PICC line, this can cause an air embolism.  This can feel like a sudden onset of breathlessness, nausea, and shoulder or chest pain.  Call your doctor right away if you feel these symptoms.  Thankfully, it is easy to avoid getting air into your PICC line!  Simply keep the cap closed whenever you’re not receiving infusions.

Finally, blood clots can form in your vein, causing a complication called thrombosis.  While this may sound scary, it is actually easy to treat from home using warm compresses and over-the-counter medications like Ibuprofen.  It is important to catch it early before the clot moves, so call your doctor right away if you notice swelling, redness, and tenderness by the catheter site.  To prevent blood clots, simply keep things circulating!  Get up and move around if you’ve been sitting for a while, and be sure to drink plenty of fluids.

Check out our tips for avoiding complications and how to safely shower with a PICC line.

4. pain management in general

Whether your pains are directly related to your PICC line or in an entirely different part of your body, there is more you can do to get comfortable!  Research shows that relaxation techniques such as meditation or breathing exercises can reduce overall pain.  Addressing stress through exercise, counseling, or other forms of stress management can also provide pain relief.  Both of these approaches can also help improve your sleep!  Sleeping better (a challenge when in pain) is also proven to lower your body’s sensitivity to pain, bringing you more comfortable days.

Join our Friends in the Fight group for support from other PICC line patients, and check out our PICCPerfect PICC Line Covers, now available in fresh new colors!

PICCPerfect
0
FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Ariela Paulsen

Ari struggled with a wide array of health problems for decades before being diagnosed with EDS/POTS/MCAS/etc at age 25. She began writing as a way to heal while spreading information and helping others through their own journeys. She loves being part of the Mighty Well team, sharing the stories and strengths of spoonies everywhere!

previous post
Rare Disease Day
next post
Vaccine Complications With Chronic Illness

You may also like

Olivia Newton-John: Reflecting on her Cancer Journey

January 7, 2020

Venus Williams: Sjogren’s Warrior

August 20, 2020

Meet Our Newest Nonprofit Partner – The Crohn’s...

June 7, 2019

Caring For Your Whole Self: Conversations with Ali...

January 28, 2019

Remembering Lady Red Couture With Progress

August 17, 2020

Guide to Difficult Conversations

January 29, 2020

How Body Image Affects Our Self-Esteem and Mental...

August 13, 2019

Meet Swapna Kakani: Short Bowel Syndrome Warrior

April 15, 2020

Mental Health Strategies from Emily Levy, our CEO

January 16, 2019

Patient Tips: How to Shower with a PICC...

February 8, 2017

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

About Us

Hi, We're Mighty Well.

The mission of Mighty Well is to help patients and their caregivers turn sickness into strength. We are leading the global charge that changes the perception of patients from victims to fighters. We do this by improving the experience of being a patient. We create the products we wish we’d had: functional and stylish apparel and accessories that you can wear with confidence - and content that can help you get through the good times and the bad. It’s wellness you can wear.

Keep in touch

Facebook Twitter Instagram

Instagram

No images found!
Try some other hashtag or username

Recent Posts

  • Get Ready to Get Vaccinated

    April 16, 2021
  • How (and Why) to Effectively Apologize

    April 7, 2021
  • 5 Tips for Staying Safe With Chronic Illness as the World Opens Up

    March 31, 2021
  • Chronic Illness Guide to Getting Organized for Confidence and Safety

    March 24, 2021
  • Launch of a New Product Line: Secondary Catheter Securement Device

    March 19, 2021

Categories

  • Adaptive Wear
  • Chronic Illness
  • Featured
  • Friends in the Fight
  • General Wellness
  • Healthy Work Environments
  • Lyme Disease
  • Medical Devices
  • Mightier Together
  • Mighty Models
  • PICC Line
  • Popular Posts
  • The Undefeated
  • Treatment and Care
  • Uncategorized

Tags Cloud

Active Lifestyle Adulting Best Fit for Your Lifestyle Be Your Own Advocate blm Chronic Illness coronavirus coronoavirus covid-19 Diabetes Disabilities Dysautonomia Family Feeding Tubes Fibromyalgia Gastroparesis holidays invisible illnesses Living Mighty Well Living With a PICC Living with a Port LLMD lyme disease Lyme Into Lemonaid Lyme Literate Doctors MedPlanner mental health Mental Illness mighty mask Mighty Pack mighty well mask Misdiagnosed Mom with Lyme New Years Organization Tips PICC PICC line cover PICC Line Dressing Change PICCPerfect POTS Prevention Self-love Support Systems TPN trans black lives matter

Our Story

Mighty Well - Founder - Emily Levy - Our Story

 

It all started with a cut off sock, a cute hockey player, and an 8 AM finance class. Oh, and a PICC Line. That moment inspired us to launch our first product, the PICCPerfect PICC Line Cover.

 

We know it stinks to feel defined by a diagnosis or feel like just a name on a doctor’s chart. Sounds like you? Read how our founder turned sickness into strength.

Recent Posts

  • Get Ready to Get Vaccinated

    April 16, 2021
  • How (and Why) to Effectively Apologize

    April 7, 2021
  • 5 Tips for Staying Safe With Chronic Illness as the World Opens Up

    March 31, 2021

Join the Fight

Mighty Well's Facebook Page

Find Us on Instagram

No images found!
Try some other hashtag or username
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram

Mighty Well © 2018 All Rights Reserved


Back To Top