Decongestive Lymphoedema Therapy

DSC_0767Lymphoedema is swelling caused by accumulated fluid in the tissue due to the lymphatic system failure.  Genetic abnormality is indentified as a cause of primary lymphoedema, and damage caused by surgery, radiation and trauma are categorized as secondary lymphoedema.

Do your legs bruise easily and take longer than normal to heal?  Are your legs or arms out of the proportion to the rest of your body?  No matter how much you diet and exercise, you seem not losing the weight?  Lipoedema is differentiated from lymphoedema, as your lymphatics are working, with rare history of infection.  However, in later stages it can progress into lymphoedema, so early management is essential.

What are the treatments?

Decongestive Lymphoedema Therapy is a specialised treatment undertaken over a period of time that can help reduce limb size.

*  Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD)

* Compression either via garments or multilayer compression bandaging

* Specific “decongestive” exercises

* Skin care

* Home management program

Benefits of lymphoedema therapy include greater reduction of the volume of fluid from the affected limbs (i.e by surgeries, radiation therapy) and enables fluid to be transported to unblocked lymphatic watersheds and softening of affected and hardened fibrotic tissue.

Referrals are welcome but not necessary.