Lymphedema is diagnosed after a careful evaluation of your medical history, including past surgeries and treatments, an evaluation of current medications and symptoms, and a complete physical exam. Sometimes, additional tests may be needed.
How Is Lymphedema Treated?
Lymphedema treatments vary, depending on the stage and cause of the illness.
The most important aspect of treatment is learning how to care for your health. Your doctor or nurse will teach you and your
family how to follow your prescribed treatment.
If the initial signs and symptoms of swelling are caused by infection,
antibiotics may be prescribed. Other treatments may include bandaging, proper skin care and diet, compression garments, exercises,
and manual lymphatic drainage, a gentle form of skin stretching/massage.
How Can I Help Prevent Lymphedema?
Lymphedema can be prevented or controlled if it develops by following the recommendations below.
Include at least two to four servings of fruits and three to five servings of vegetables in your daily meal plan.
Eat a variety of foods to get all the nutrients you need.
Use the package label information to help you to make the
best selections for a healthy lifestyle.
Eat foods high in fiber such
as whole-grain breads, cereals, pasta, rice, fresh fruits, and vegetables.
Drink plenty of water.
Maintain your ideal body weight. A registered dietitian or your health care
provider can help calculate your ideal body weight.
Avoid alcoholic beverages.
Exercise regularly
Always check with
your doctor first before starting a new exercise program.
To improve cardiovascular
fitness, you should perform aerobic activities (including walking, swimming,
low-impact aerobics or specially prescribed exercises) for 20 to 30 minutes at least three times a week.
Take time to
include a five-minute warm-up, including stretching exercises, before any aerobic activity and include a five to 10-minute
cool down after the activity.
If your normal exercise routine includes weight lifting with your arms, check with your
doctor about the best time to resume this activity and if there are any weight restrictions.
Discontinue any exercise
that causes unexpected pain. If your arm or leg (on the side where you had surgery) becomes tired during exercise, cool
down, then rest and elevate it.
Avoid infections
Wear gloves while doing housework or gardening.
Avoid cutting your cuticles when manicuring your nails. Use care when cutting your toenails.
Frequently wash your
hands with soap and warm water, especially before preparing food, and after using the bathroom or after touching soiled
linens or clothes.
Protect your skin from scratches, sores, burns and
other irritations that might lead to infection. Use electric razors to remove hair and replace the razor head frequently.
Use insect repellents to prevent bug bites.
Immediately report any signs of infection to your physician.
Flu-like symptoms (chills, aches, headache
or fatigue) or generally feeling "lousy"
Trouble urinating: pain or burning, constant urge, or frequent urination
Bloody, cloudy, or foul-smelling urine
Avoid tight clothing, shoes or jewelry
Women should wear
well-fitted bras; bra straps should not be too tight, avoid underwire styles, and wear pads under the bra straps if necessary.
Wear comfortable, closed-toe shoes and avoid tight hosiery. Wear watches or jewelry loosely, if at all, on the affected arm.
Avoid heavy lifting with the affected arm (even a purse or bag)
Also avoid repetitive
movements of the affected arm (such as scrubbing, pushing or pulling). Do not carry a purse or bag on your shoulder (the side
where you had surgery).
Keep your skin meticulously clean
Dry your skin thoroughly (including creases and
between fingers and toes) and apply lotion.
Take precautions during visits to your doctor
Ask to have your
blood pressure checked on the unaffected arm. And avoid injections or blood drawing on the surgical side
if possible.
Inform your doctor of any symptoms
Notify your doctor if you have redness, swelling, a
skin rash or blistering on the side of your body where you had surgery, or if you have a temperature over 100 degrees F
(38 degrees C). These warning signs of infection could be an early sign of lymphedema and should be treated immediately.
Lymph nodes help the body's immune system fight infections. Causes of swollen lymph nodes (glands) may include infection (viral, bacterial, fungal, parasites). Symptoms of swollen lymph nodes vary greatly. They can sometimes be tender, painful or disfiguring. The treatment of swollen lymph nodes depends upon the cause.
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a blood clot in a vein located deep in the muscles of the legs, thighs, pelvis (lower torso), or arms. The most common symptoms of a deep vein thrombosis are swelling and pain in the leg that has the blood clot. A DVT is difficult to diagnose without specific tests in which the deep vein system can be examined.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women and the second most common cause of cancer death in women in the U.S. Symptoms include a lump in the breast or underarm area, nipple pain, change in breast size or shape, an inverted nipple, nipple discharge, and breast skin changes. Treatment may involve chemotherapy, radiation therapy, biological therapy, hormone therapy, or surgery.
Cancer is a disease caused by an abnormal growth of cells, also called malignancy. It is a group of 100 different diseases, and is not contagious. Cancer can be treated through chemotherapy, a treatment of drugs that destroy cancer cells.
The breast generally refers to the chest, however, more specifically, to the mammary gland. The mammary gland is a milk producing gland comprised largely of fat. Within the mammary gland is a complex network of branching ducts. The ducts exit from sac-like structures called lobules, which can produce milk in females. The darkened area around the nipple is called the areola. Common medical concerns in regard to the breast include breast lumps, breast cysts, breast cancer, and breast infections.
Male breast cancer accounts for 1% of all breast cancers, and most cases are found in men between the ages of 60 and 70. A man's risk of developing breast cancer is one in 1,000. Signs and symptoms include a firm mass located below the nipple and skin changes around the nipple, including puckering, redness or scaling, retraction and ulceration of the nipple. Treatment depends upon staging and the health of the patient.
Lymphedema is a condition in which one or more extremities become swollen as the result of an impaired flow of the lymphatic system. There are two types of lymphedema; primary, secondary. Filariasis is the most common cause of lymphedema worldwide; however, in the U.S. breast cancer surgery is the most common cause. Symptoms include swelling of one or more limbs, thickening, cracked, and secondary bacterial or fungal infections of the skin. There is no cure for lymphedema.
Inflammatory breast cancer is an accelerated form of breast cancer that is not usually detected by mammogram or ultrasound. Symptoms of inflammatory breast cancer include pain in the breast, skin change in the breast area, bruise on the breast,sudden swelling of the breast, nipple retraction or discharge, and swelling of the lymph nodes.
Women's health is an important topic area to guide a woman through the stages of her life, as well as knowing the conditions and diseases that may occur. Educating yourself so that the transitions into different phases of life is key to a healthy, happy, and productive life.
Lifestyle changes, a healthy antioxidant-rich diet, exercise, and weight reduction can help reduce a woman's risk of developing breast cancer. It's important to be aware of how risk factors such as family history, lifestyle factors, breast conditions, radiation therapy, and hormonal factors may influence your chances of developing breast cancer. Mammography and breast self-examinations are crucial steps in breast cancer prevention.
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