There are two major factors that determine how well a patient will respond to lymphedema treatment: the type and frequency of treatment, and patient compliance. But let’s assume that you are receiving an appropriate course of therapy, and that you’re also compliant with your therapist’s instructions regarding bandaging, self-massage, and…
Obesity is a known risk factor for lymphedema, a chronic swelling condition caused by insufficient lymphatic fluid clearance from tissues (see post: Lymphedema is a Common but Little-Known Health Hazard of Obesity). In our experience it can be particularly difficult for obese patients to be correctly diagnosed with lymphedema. This…
Unbeknownst to many in the medical community and public alike, obesity can increase the risk of developing a chronic swelling condition known as lymphedema. The minority of patients suffering from lymphedema have what’s called “Primary Lymphedema”. Classically caused by an inherited or congenital malformation of lymphatic channels and/or nodes, Primary…
Lymphedema is a chronic swelling condition that can arise from the damage or removal of lymph vessels and lymph nodes during cancer therapy. Being one of the most common and significant side-effects of breast cancer treatment, awareness of breast cancer related lymphedema is growing amongst health care practitioners and cancer…
Exercise therapy is considered one of the pillars of Combined (or Complex) Decongestive Therapy, the gold-standard therapy for treating the chronic swelling condition known as lymphedema. The working assumption among therapists has been that exercise therapy can act to decrease limb volume in combination with a decongestive therapy program. Therapists…
There is no consensus on a single best therapy for treating the chronic swelling condition known as lymphedema. As a result, the gold standard treatment is in fact a combination of techniques known as Combined (or “Complex” or “Comprehensive”) Decongestive Therapy (CDT). The components of CDT: manual lymphatic drainage, compression,…
The chronic swelling condition known as Secondary Lymphedema arises due to damage of the lymphatic system (typically as a side-effect of cancer treatment) which decreases the ability of the system to drain excess tissue fluid back into the blood stream. There is currently no cure for lymphedema, which must instead…
The damage and/or removal of lymph nodes is a common side-effect of cancer diagnosis and treatment. This can result in the insufficient clearance of lymphatic fluid, and manifestation of a chronic swelling condition known as lymphedema. So what can be done about this? “Direct” surgical reconstruction methods are being explored…
Lymphedema is a chronic condition that afflicts up to 30% of women treated for breast cancer. Damage to a patient’s lymphatic system via lymph node removal and/or irradiation during cancer treatment can cause inadequate lymphatic fluid clearance, and the chronic swelling characteristic of lymphedema. Given that breast reconstructive surgery post-mastectomy…
It is well appreciated that environmental and behavioral factors such as diet, stress, sleep, and fitness can significantly alter our susceptibility to infection. Typically, when we think of these factors either enhancing or suppressing immune system function, we think of them altering the behavior of our infection-fighting white blood cells:…
