LymphedemaIn Louisville, Evansville & Southern Indiana
Lymphedema is a painful condition resulting in persistent swelling of an arm or leg due to a blockage in your lymphatic system, an important part of your immune and circulatory systems.
Physical therapy for lymphedema is one of the best strategies to help control its symptoms. It is helpful to manage the swelling, pain, and stiffness associated with lymphedema to help people lead a normal life. Symptoms of lymphedema are pain, swelling, irritation, and heaviness typically in one limb. Lymphedema physical therapy offers a strategy to manage these symptoms with the help of a trained lymphedema physical therapist.
What Is Lymphedema?
Lymphedema results when there is a poor connection from blood circulation to lymphatic circulation. Normally lymph fluid travels from circulation to lymph nodes and back to circulation through lymphatic vessels. Instead of lymph fluid, which has a role in the immune system, returning to the bloodstream, it collects in whichever body part is affected to create lymphedema. This collection of fluid causes the symptoms of pain, irritation, stiffness, heaviness, skin tightness, and difficulty using the limb.
What Causes Lymphedema?
Lymphedema can be caused by congenital dysfunction in lymphatic vessels and lymph nodes or it can be caused by a disruption or damage to the lymph nodes. This is typical in cases of cancer, infection, or surgery. Lymphedema in an arm is quite common in women who have gone through a mastectomy because of the damage to the lymph network in that area. Lymph fluid is not allowed to be reabsorbed back into the bloodstream so it collects in the arm and causes symptoms.
How A Physical Therapist Can Help With Lymphedema
When searching for lymphedema physical therapy near me it is important to find a certified lymphedema specialist. This trained professional can help with compression, exercises, and skin irritation that occurs due to lymphedema. A common technique is called complete decongestive therapy. Your lymphedema physical therapist will instruct you on which activities to avoid and which activities to continue with respect to your condition. They truly want you to live life on your terms and will help achieve that by working all of your goals into your physical therapy treatment plan.