Lymphedema

What is lymphedema?

Lymphedema is a type of swelling.  It happens when lymph builds up in your body’s soft tissues. It can happens when the lymph system is damaged .  It usually occur but not limited to the arms or legs. Lymphedema usually develops gradually, and you may feel an unusual sensation — such as tingling or numbness — that comes and goes before any visible swelling occurs. Other symptoms of lymphedema include but are not limited to achiness, feelings of fullness , heaviness, puffiness, and decreased flexibility or tightness in the affected body part. Early treatment of lymphedema is important, a complex decongestive therapy which is the gold standard for lymphedema treatment performed by a certified lymphedema therapist  is crucial for the management of the condition. 

Causes of lymphedema include

• Infection
• Cancer
• Scar tissue from radiation therapy or surgical removal of lymph nodes
• Inherited conditions in which lymph nodes or vessels are absent or abnormal

Complete decongestive Therapy (Gold standard for lymphedema management) 

Intensive therapy program that is divided into 2 phases:

Phase 1: Decongestion

Main purpose of this phase is to decrease swelling and maintain healthy skin. It included: 

• Manual lymphatic draining 
• Compression therapy 
• Exercises  
• Skin care 

Phase 2: Maintenance 

Main purpose of this phase is to maintain the work done on phase 1. Components include: 

Manual lymphatic draining : Is not a traditional massage, it is specifically focused to help the flow of lymphatic fluid. It is skin stretching massage that helps promote the movement of lymphatic fluid out of the affected limb.

Compression therapy: After MLD , compression is applied in order to keep  moving  the extra fluid out of the limb, and to prevent  it from coming back into the limb. Compression therapy is mainly applying pressure from the outside to assist the tissue to move the fluid into the lymphatic system. 

Exercises : It is very impotent to perform exercises when using compression products, because it can help promote fluid drainage.  

Skin care: Patients with lymphedema are at high risk for infection and  need high care when it  comes to keeping their skin healthy. In order to prevent a host for bacterials and fungus moisturizer and lotion should be used to keep the skin moist and avoid cracking.