After resection of the mammary glands in women, there is a violation of the outflow of blood and lymph from the operated side. As a result of this phenomenon, lymphedema is diagnosed. This is swelling of the limb, which in common people call elephantiasis. For the effective treatment of congestion in the lymphatic and venous vessels of the upper extremities, a compression sleeve is used.
With proper treatment, a woman can completely get rid of lymphodema. But it takes a lot of time. If you start the disease, then it can lead to the formation of trophic ulcers.
Therapy Features
Regardless of the cause of impaired lymph flow, treatment should be comprehensive. Patients should understand that wearing only a compression sleeve without the use of medication will not give the desired results, but only slightly improve the outflow of fluid in the bed.
In the treatment of lymphostasis, a variety of medicines are used, including venotonics, angioprotective drugs. They can be prescribed in the form of creams, lotions, gels.
Indications for use of a medical sleeve
Compression sleeve is indicated for patients with impaired venous and lymphatic flow. This substance provides a uniform effect on soft tissues, activating venous outflow and lymph flow from tissues located on the periphery.
A compression sleeve can be prescribed only by the attending physician. The product can be used not only for the treatment of pathologies, but also as a prophylactic in case of impaired lymph flow.
There are a number of pathological conditions in which medical devices are needed. These include:
- Edema of the upper extremities associated with impaired lymphatic flow due to breast operations.
- Swelling caused by injuries.
- Swelling caused by burns.
- Edema, manifested as a complication after suffering polyarthritis.
- Varicose veins of the mammary glands.
Contraindications
There are a number of contraindications in which medical devices are not used. These include lymphostasis caused by filarias. In this case, treatment begins with eliminating the cause of the pathology.
You should not wear a sleeve for acute infectious ailments, accompanied by impaired outflow of fluid and venous blood.
For the treatment of lymphedema, if the patient has concomitant pathologies in the form of thromboangiitis, atherosclerotic vascular lesions, other methods are selected that contribute to improving the outflow of lymph along the beds, since with these types of pathologies it is impossible to use medical knitwear.
Product selection
In the treatment of lymphedema, it is necessary to choose the right knitwear. A good product does not cause any discomfort in everyday life and does not limit physical activity.
The market offers a huge range of products with three degrees of compression. Ideally, a specialist should choose a compression sleeve on the arm. It is not worth it to purchase the product yourself, as it will be difficult to correctly choose the degree of compression.
The first group includes products used in the initial stages of the development of the disease. The pressure of such hoses does not exceed 23 mm. Hg. Art. This variety is prescribed after injuries, operations for the prevention of lymphostasis. Often such a product is worn during physical exertion.
The second degree of compression includes sleeves in which the average degree of pressure is not more than 33 mm. Hg. Art. This type of product is prescribed for secondary lymphostasis.
Third degree knitwear is capable of creating a pressure of 45 mm. Hg. Art. Such a compression sleeve is used after a mastectomy and for various pathologies that caused stagnation in the channels. Most often, knitwear with a third degree of compression is made to order.
The models themselves have many differences. They can end with gloves or be up to the wrist. Gloved options may have open, closed, truncated fingers.
Elastic medical sleeves have different fixation methods. Some models have shoulder pads. There are options with fastening over the shoulder, with a silicone strap. Each product has its own characteristics. The most comfortable are models that are fixed over the shoulder. It is especially convenient to wear this type of sleeve for those who have swollen limbs in the armpit area less than in other places.
How to choose a sleeve
To eliminate lymphostasis, it is recommended to purchase those sleeves that are recommended by the doctor. In this case, do not forget about the individual characteristics of the body. There are a number of criteria by which a choice is made in the direction of a particular model.
- Quality. A good model is able to provide excellent compression in all parts of the limb. During treatment of violations of fluid outflow, it is necessary to ensure uniform pressure on all soft tissues. High-quality sleeves are able to cope with this task. If the pressure is uneven, then this will lead to local phenomena of stagnation in the weak spots of compression.
- The size. The sleeve must be sized.
- Comfort. Although the product exerts some pressure on the hand, it should be comfortable in it. Knitwear should not cause itching, burning sensation, pain.
A correctly selected sleeve allows you to avoid puffiness and negative complications.
Sleeve use
The duration of the use of knitwear depends on the severity of lymphostasis. At the initial stages of the development of the disease, if the symptoms of lymphostasis are insignificant and appear only after a prolonged load, it is recommended to wear a sleeve only during physical activity. Marked fluid stagnation needs constant wearing of knitwear. If among the proposed models it is not possible to choose a sleeve suitable for the individual characteristics of the body, then you can order the product according to individual sizes.
Doctors recommend wearing a sleeve in the morning, immediately after waking up. And this should be done without getting out of bed.
Using compression underwear allows you to normalize the lymph flow from peripheral tissues. This eliminates the main clinical manifestations of impaired lymph flow. The key to successful therapy is not only a properly selected sleeve, but also medical therapy.