Does radiation after breast cancer surgery hurt? and what does it do to the body?

Not really: The major side-effect of radiation to the breast is development of skin irritation (somewhat like a sunburn) the radiation itself causes no discomfort (like getting a chest xray). The radiation only affects the area irradiated so there are no effects outside of the radiation field.

Does radiation hurt?: Radiation therapy is used after surgery to improve the chances of remaining cancer free in the breast or chest wall. It does not hurt. Most patients receive daily treatment m-f fir 4-6 weeks. It does cause some skin redness kind of like a sunburn after about 3 weeks of treatment. This can be uncomfortable, but usually goes away about 2-3 weeks after finishing treatment. Skin care is provided.

Breast radiation: There are different ways to give radiation to the breast. The most common type, external beam tangential xrt, is like a flashlight. Only the area that you aim at gets radiated. It's like a sunburn, which can vary in intensity. Careful planning, good communication with the radiation oncologist and special creams can minimize the side effects. Don't expose that area to the sun, either!

Thanks for asking!: No pain but can cause some fatigue, skin burn.