Different swelling needs different treatment
The choice is made with your healthcare team. Swelling can contain both fluid and fat, so the stages overlap.2
Early
Measurement, (pressure from bandages or special garments that helps keep swelling down) for a few weeks and exercise.12
Mainly fluid
(combined physical treatment using compression, lymphatic massage, skin care and exercise) and sometimes (operations under a microscope on very small vessels).215
Chronic and mainly fat
(an operation that removes fat through small cuts using thin tubes) and lifelong may be an option.3
Early detection can make a difference
In a study of 196 women, the arm was measured before cancer surgery and every three months afterwards. Early swelling was detected before it became obvious. A few weeks of treatment with a sleeve reduced the volume.12
You can use your body
Two (studies where chance decides which treatment a patient receives, a reliable way to compare treatments) examined strength training. In 141 women with (swelling that develops when the body’s lymphatic system cannot carry fluid away), training did not increase swelling. Flare-ups occurred in 14 % of the exercise group and 29 % of the comparison group.13
Among women without , 11 % in the exercise group and 17 % in the comparison group developed . The difference was not statistically significant for the whole group. Resistance was increased gradually and participants received guidance.14
Operations on small vessels
can help fluid find new routes. In a study of 100 patients, (lymphovenous anastomosis, connecting lymph vessels to small veins to give lymph a new route) gave an average reduction of 61 % in early stages and 17 % in late stages.15
(moving healthy lymph nodes to the swollen body part) has shown promising results in small studies. One study involved 24 patients. Another involved 13 patients and reported a 51 % volume reduction.1617
works best early on, when fluid and functioning lymph vessels remain. When swelling is mainly fat, is a method that removes the excess fat.153
What do we not yet know?
(International Society of Lymphology, the international expert society for lymphatic diseases) highlights the lack of large, long-term for many treatments. There are therefore uncertainties, even when follow-up studies show good results.2
The information describes results in studies. Results vary between individuals. A doctor needs to assess your situation.
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