By Mayo Clinic Staff
There's no cure for lymphedema. Treatment focuses on
reducing the swelling and controlling the pain. Lymphedema treatments include:
- Exercises. Light exercises in which you move your
affected limb may encourage lymph fluid drainage and help prepare you for
everyday tasks, such as carrying groceries. Exercises shouldn't be strenuous or
tire you but should focus on gentle contraction of the muscles in your arm or
leg. A certified lymphedema therapist can teach you exercises that may help.
- Wrapping your arm or leg. Bandaging your entire limb
encourages lymph fluid to flow back toward the trunk of your body. The bandage
should be tightest around your fingers or toes and loosen as it moves up your
arm or leg. A lymphedema therapist can show you how to wrap your limb.
- Massage. A special massage technique called manual
lymph drainage may encourage the flow of lymph fluid out of your arm or leg.
And various massage treatments may benefit people with active cancer. Be sure
to work with someone specially trained in these techniques.
Massage isn't for everyone. Avoid massage if you have a skin
infection, blood clots or active disease in the involved lymph drainage areas.
- Pneumatic compression. A sleeve worn over your affected
arm or leg connects to a pump that intermittently inflates the sleeve, putting
pressure on your limb and moving lymph fluid away from your fingers or toes.
- Compression garments. Long sleeves or stockings made to
compress your arm or leg encourage the flow of the lymph fluid out of your
affected limb. Wear a compression garment when exercising the affected limb.
Obtain a correct fit for your compression garment by getting
professional help. Ask your doctor where you can buy compression garments in
your community. Some people will require custom-made compression garments.
If you have difficulties putting on or taking off the
compression garment, there are special techniques and aids to help with this;
your lymphedema therapist can review options with you. In addition, if
compression garments or compression wraps or both are not an option, sometimes
a compression device with fabric fasteners can work for you.
- Complete decongestive therapy (CDT). This approach
involves combining therapies with lifestyle changes. Generally, CDT isn't
recommended for people who have high blood pressure, diabetes, paralysis, heart
failure, blood clots or acute infections.
In cases of severe lymphedema, your doctor may consider
surgery to remove excess tissue in your arm or leg to reduce swelling. There
are also newer techniques for surgery that might be appropriate, such as
lymphatic to venous anastomosis or lymph node transplants.