A tantalizing new study by a Canadian group recently caught my eye. The authors’ conclusion: “Submental liposuction is an effective and safe procedure to improve the quality of life for head and neck cancer patients suffering from post-treatment lymphedema.” So should we be recommending liposuction for head and neck lymphedema?…
A specialized form of liposuction for lymphedema has been successfully used to treat advanced cases of lymphedema for decades. Despite this success, it remains a poorly understood and uncommon surgical treatment for advanced lymphedema. Lymphedema is a chronic swelling condition characterized by an excessive accumulation of lymph fluid, most often…
Head and neck lymphedema is a very common side effect of head and neck cancer treatment. It is a chronic condition with potentially severe implications for quality of life. In my own experience as a physiotherapist and Combined Decongestive Therapist who has treated patients with various types and stages of…
Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT), also known as Photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy, has been investigated as a treatment for a very wide variety of conditions including musculoskeletal disorders, wound healing, and more recently lymphedema. Could lymphedema laser therapy offer real-world benefit to patients? Despite decades of research and use, the clinical…
Could stem cell therapy be used to treat the chronic swelling condition known as lymphedema? Early clinical trials offer us a glimpse into the future: lymphedema stem cell therapy for the repair and regrowth of damaged lymphatics. When I entered the field of stem cell research as a graduate student…
Diastasis recti (also known as “rectus diastasis”) is a common result of pregnancy, and a lot of online advice is available to help treat it – both good and questionable. Thankfully clinical research is starting to catch up, and can help us identify the best evidence-based treatment approaches. Here we…
Current research supports exercise in patients with lymphedema. But some types of exercises for lymphedema patients may be more beneficial than others. The latest research supports exercise for individuals with lymphedema Although the body of research is still relatively small, there is considerable and growing evidence to suggest that exercise…
You probably fall into one of two groups of people: those who believe that incontinence in female athletes and physically ‘fit’ women is rare (it isn’t), or those who think that a ‘little’ incontinence during intense physical exertion is normal (it’s not). Most people consider urinary incontinence to be a…
Complaints of upper body pain and dysfunction are common in patients who have had breast cancer treatment. Pain that occurs in the early period following surgery, radiation or chemotherapy is to be expected; but many women are surprised to learn that longer-term disorders can also arise as a side effect…
Could the drug Ubenimex (also known as bestatin) be used to treat lymphedema in humans? A nice study was recently published, and a clinical trial is underway. But how excited should we be? **UPDATE: the clinical trial has now been completed, and as expected from our discussion below, the trial…
