#COMPRESSION GARMENTS FOR LYMPHEDEMA MANUAL#
#COMPRESSION GARMENTS FOR LYMPHEDEMA SKIN#
#COMPRESSION GARMENTS FOR LYMPHEDEMA PROFESSIONAL#

Your symptoms, including any that may seem unrelated to the reason for which you scheduled the appointment.Here's some information to help you get ready for the appointment with your doctor. Whether you attend support group meetings in your community or participate in online message boards, it helps to talk to people facing similar difficulties. Get support from others with lymphedema.Taking care of your body gives you more energy and encourages healing. Eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables.

#COMPRESSION GARMENTS FOR LYMPHEDEMA SKIN#

Clean your skin daily, looking over every inch of the affected limb for signs of trouble, such as cracks and cuts. Knowing what lymphedema is and what causes it can help communication with the doctor or physical therapist.

Find out all you can about lymphedema.

However, you can control some aspects of lymphedema. It can be frustrating to know there's no cure for lymphedema. For example, shave with an electric razor, wear gloves when you garden or cook, and use a thimble when you sew. Cuts, scrapes and burns can invite infection. To reduce the risk of complications from lymphedema, avoid injuring the affected limb. In very severe cases, hardened tissue and skin may be removed with a scalpel.Įxplore Mayo Clinic studies testing new treatments, interventions and tests as a means to prevent, detect, treat or manage this condition. Removing some of this hardened tissue, often through liposuction, can improve the limb's function. In severe lymphedema, the soft tissues in the limb become fibrous and hardened. The excess lymph fluid is then removed from the limb via blood vessels. Another option for early-stage lymphedema, this procedure creates new connections between the lymph network and blood vessels. Many people with early-stage lymphedema see good results from this surgery and can decrease the amount of compression needed. Lymph nodes are taken from a different area of the body and then attached to the network of lymph vessels in the affected limb. Surgical treatment for lymphedema may include: A sleeve worn over the affected arm or leg connects to a pump that intermittently inflates the sleeve, putting pressure on the limb and moving lymph fluid away from the fingers or toes.

#COMPRESSION GARMENTS FOR LYMPHEDEMA PROFESSIONAL#

You may need to be measured by a professional to ensure proper fit. These garments often require a prescription to ensure that the proper amount of compression is used. Close-fitting elastic sleeves or stockings can compress the arm or leg to encourage lymph fluid drainage. Using low-stretch bandages to wrap the entire limb encourages lymph fluid to flow back toward the trunk of the body.

#COMPRESSION GARMENTS FOR LYMPHEDEMA MANUAL#

People should avoid manual lymph drainage if they have a skin infection, blood clots or active cancer in the affected limb. Therapists trained in this massage-like technique use very light pressure to move the trapped fluid in the swollen limb toward an area with working lymph vessels. Gentle contraction of the muscles in the arm or leg can help move the excess fluid out of the swollen limb.

Specialized lymphedema therapists can teach you about techniques and equipment that can help reduce lymphedema swelling. Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics for you to keep on hand so that you can start taking them immediately once symptoms appear. Lymphedema greatly increases the risk of skin infections (cellulitis). Treatment focuses on reducing the swelling and preventing complications.

Compression garments for lymphedema