What is Lymphedema?

Lymphedema (LE) is a disease of swelling that most often occurs as a result of cancer surgery or trauma to the body, resulting in damage to part of the lymphatic system. If a patient has had lymph nodes removed or irradiated, they are at risk for developing LE at any time in their life because there is a blockage of lymph in the area of the surgery. A percentage of patients who’ve had cancer surgery will develop swelling in that nearby body part and will require visits to a LE clinic to be measured for compression garments (daytime and nighttime) will receive Manual Lymphatic Drainage Therapy (MLD) to reduce the size of the swollen area, and will learn about exercise, weight loss, pumps, and skin care. LE can occur in any part of the body. It is important to get therapy immediately after surgery and to learn about LE so you hopefully will never get LE. If it is caught early, it is reversible. Later stages result in permanent swelling, although, with regular therapy, exercise, wearing compression, getting MLD, using pumps, it is more manageable.

The type of LE that is caused by trauma or cancer surgery is called Secondary Lymphedema. If a baby is born with poorly developed lymphatic structures, they will have Primary Lymphedema.

Patients can hire a mobile certified lymphatic therapist to come to their home, preferably 1-2x/week to do MLD and they can also learn to do self-MLD they can perform on the other days.

In the U.S., the most popular and most respected method of MLD is the Vodder method. Other respected methods, but lesser known, are Upledger, Casley-Smith, Chikly, Le Duc.

It is vitally important to only hire a Certified Manual Lymphatic Drainage Therapist or Certified Lymphedema Therapist to work on you in your home or in a PT office. Look for any of these letters after the therapist’s name: CMLDT or CLT or MLD-C. Most therapists who work with LE patients are PTs, OTs, nurses, and massage therapists.

Where can you find a therapist?

The most comprehensive nationwide list is instagram.com/lymphaticprofessionals. Also try the certifying schools website directories: www.klosetraining.com, www.acols.com, www.vodderschool.com, www.clt-lana.org.