Lymphedema: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment And Prevention

What is Lymphedema?

With Lymphedema, you have more tissue fluid (lymph) in your body than normal. By the moisture is your arm or leg thicker. This disease usually occurs because the lymphatic system gets corrupted or lymph nodes are gone.

What are the signs and symptoms of lymphedema?

What do you notice of lymphedema? First you notice probably that your hand or foot swells. Your ring or shoe fits anymore. Also you may experience pain and tingling. Your arm or leg feels tight and tense.

To Lymphedema fix measures the doctor the difference in thickness between arms or legs. Sometimes an ultrasound to look where the swelling is coming from. Once in a while let the doctor do a lymph node scintigraphy.

There are various treatments, such as exercises, manual lymphatic drainage (massage) or bandages to an arm or leg.
Sometimes an infection the cause of lymphedema. You will get antibiotics. Very occasionally, surgery is the solution.
It is important that you let treat lymphedema. Otherwise changes the tissue under your skin after a while. It is harder and less flexible. That is no longer about it.

What causes lymphedema disease?

Lymphedema usually occurs because the lymph system is damaged or lymph nodes removed.
Most of the people with this disease have lymphoedema after treatment of:

1. breast cancer;
2. cervical cancer;
3. vulvar cancer;
4. prostate cancer;
5. cancer of the penis;
6. melanoma (skin cancer);
7. Hodgkin's lymphoma (lymph node cancer).

Lymphedema also occurs sometimes after infection or mononucleosis. Also from major surgery for varicose veins, you can get lymphedema.
Lymphedema usually occurs soon after treatment, sometimes years later.

What is the treatment for lymphedema?

There is no treatment to damaged lymph vessels and lymph nodes back to health. The doctor then looks above all how they can reduce your symptoms.

Sometimes an infection the cause of lymphedema. You will get antibiotics. The infection is about and usually disappears the Lymphedema at all.

Other treatments are:

1. Posture, movement and breathing exercises. These exercises improve the drainage of tissue fluid.
2. Manual lymphatic drainage. This is a kind of massage the therapist or skin therapist. She tries by hand movements to improve fluid drainage out of your arm or leg.
3. Tape. The skin or physiotherapist sticking a special plaster (tape) in certain patterns on and around the site of the lymphedema. The moisture is thus directed to a place where it can still be removed. The tape continues to sit for four days.
4. Compression therapy. You get a cuff (an inflatable broad band) to your arm or leg. The cuff is connected to a kind of pump. In the cuff are channels. This doctor pumped the air. The pressure thus created moves by the cuff of the hand or foot to the armpit or groin. Here, must then still be enough healthy lymph vessels to drain the moisture.
5. A shunt surgery. Such surgery can help if certain lymph vessels are clogged. The surgeon connects the clogged lymphatics healthy lymph or blood vessels.

At the end of the lymphedema treatment you get support stockings. This tubing should ensure that your arm or leg is not being thicker.

In inflammation near the lymphedema should immediately call the doctor. You will probably get antibiotics.

How to prevent lymphedema?

When lymphedema is working the defense of your arm or leg no longer good. This is because the lymph vessels and glands are damaged. The chances of you getting an infection in your arm or leg is therefore greater.

Try wounds to prevent your arm or leg. From a wound occurs easily inflammation.

1. Wear protective gloves when working in the garden or when working with corrosive substances. Do not walk barefoot.
2. Use in hair removal hair removal cream or an electric shaver. Never use a razor blade.
3. Try to avoid bites and scratches from your pet. Pat your pet with the hand on the healthy side.
4. Use a repellent against insects.
5. Keep your skin supple with lotion. This prevents cracks.
6. Use with blood or infusion your healthy arm or leg.

At wounds, first flush the dirt out with lukewarm water. Then disinfect the wound with iodine for instance sterilon or 1%. It is important that you have one of these products at home.
The wound swells up and becomes red, then you should call your doctor immediately. You will then probably antibiotics.

Lymphedema and moisture removal

You can prevent lymphedema by ensuring that tissue fluid can flow well:

1. Do not wear clothes that are very tight, and no jewelry. They prevent proper drainage. Tight clothes are for example a tight fitting bra, a bra with narrow straps, bra with braces, suspenders sleeveless and tight socks or stockings. Also galling jewelery (ring, watch) you should not wear.
2. A severe external breast prosthesis can close the lymphatic pressures above your collarbone. This deteriorates the moisture transport, especially if there is no other functioning lymphatic vessels in the vicinity. A slight prosthesis is better. Taking care for an appropriate bra with wide shoulder straps.
3. If you are a long time or is, then it is good to put some more vulnerable your leg or arm. The drainage of the tissue fluid is then easier. If your arm or leg hangs down the lymph must be raised, "against the tide". That can be difficult.
4. It is important not to let blood pressure measurement to the vulnerable poor. The arm is pinched. The chances of lymphedema is greater than.