Lymphedema is a buildup of fluids that causes swelling in a certain area of the body. This can occur after surgery and is also a situation with the removal of lymph nodes affected by malignant cells due to cancer.
Although rare, lymphedema can also be congenital and occur in infants, but it is more common in adults due to cancer-related infections or complications. Treatment is done with physical therapy for a few weeks or months and is very effective at eliminating excess. Liquid.
- Lymphedema is easy to see at a glance when feeling.
- And no specific examination is needed for diagnosis.
- But it may be helpful to check the diameter of the affected member with a metric band.
Lymphedema is considered when there is a 2 cm increase in the circumference of the left arm, compared to the measurements of the right arm, for example, these measurements should be taken on the affected limb every 5 to 10 cm and the effects of treatment used as a control parameter. In areas such as the trunk, the genital area where the limbs are affected, a good solution is to take pictures to evaluate the results before and after.
In addition to local swelling, the person may have a feeling of heaviness, tension, and difficulty moving the affected limb.
It is not possible to cure lymphedema because the result of treatment is not definitive, requiring another period of treatment. However, treatment can significantly reduce swelling and clinical treatment and physical therapy is recommended for approximately 3 to 6 weeks. In physical therapy, it is recommended to do 5 sessions per week in the initial phase, until there is stabilization of the swelling. After this period, it is recommended that you have an additional 8 to 10 weeks of treatment, but the time will vary from person to person and the care you receive daily.
Treatment of lymphedema should be guided by your doctor and physical therapist and may be done with:
Drugs: such as gamma-benzopirones or flavonoids, low medical indication;
Physiotherapy: manual lymphatic drainage adapted to the reality of the person’s body is indicated, the lymphatic drainage after the removal of the lymph nodes is different from the usual, since we must direct the lymph to the appropriate nodes, otherwise the drainage could be harmful and cause pain and discomfort.
Elastic bandage: It is an uns suitable type of bandage that, placed correctly, helps to properly drive the lymph, thus eliminating swelling. Elastic sleeves should be used, on the recommendation of the doctor and physical therapist, with compression of 30 to 60 mm Hg during the day, as well as during the exercises.
Bandage: A tension band should be placed over super-protective covers after the first 7 days of drainage, and 3 times a week, to help eliminate swelling. The sleeve is recommended for lymphedema in the arms and elastic compression medium for healed skin.
Exercises: It is important to perform exercises under the supervision of the physical therapist, you could use a cane, and aerobic exercises may also be indicated.
Skin care: Keep skin clean and hydrated, avoiding the use of tight clothing or pimples that can remove the skin, facilitating the entry of microorganisms, so it is preferable to use Velcro or foam screens.
In cases where the person is overweight, it is important to reduce the consumption of salt and foods that increase fluid retention as they are processed and are high in sodium, which will not remove excess fluid from lymphedema, but it does help deflate the body.
When the person has had edema for a long time, it can appear as a complication in the presence of fibrosis, which has hardened in the area and in these cases a specific therapy should be performed to eliminate fibrosis using manual techniques.
Lymphedema is a buildup of lymph, which is a fluid and a protein that flows from the blood and lymphatic circulation into the space between cells. Lymphedema can be classified into:
Primary lymphedema: it is very rare, it is caused by changes in the development of the lymphatic system and the baby and the birth with this disease and the swelling remains out of life, until it can be treated.
Secondary lymphedema: when a blockage occurs due to alteration of the lymphatic system due to an infectious disease such as elephantatisis, a blockage caused by cancer, as a result of its treatment, due to surgery, traumatic injury or inflammatory disease, in this case, there is always an inflammatory disease, involuntary tissues and veins of fibrosis.
There is a lot of lymphedema after breast cancer, when the lymph nodes are removed during tumor removal surgery, as lymphatic circulation decreases and the severity of excess fluid builds up in the arm. Learn more about physiotherapy after breast cancer.