Modern medicine has more opportunities than ever for the treatment of lymphedema (lymphostasis). Most methods have shown some effectiveness. However, experts believe that additional research is needed to accurately say when the procedures are most effective, in which combinations and in which situations. The combination of methods gives the doctor the opportunity to choose several treatment options.
Procedures such as manual lymphatic drainage massage, bandaging, and pneumocompression can help lymph drainage from the arm, leg, or other part of the body affected by lymphedema.
Lifestyle changes - such as skin protection, exercise, and weight loss - are shown to help the lymphatic system.
The degree, intensity and duration of treatment will depend on the severity of the disease. For example, a mild form with slight edema, as a rule, requires less treatment than lymphedema in the last stages with obvious edema and fibrosis (soft tissue scarring). Even if your lymphedema is advanced, there are good opportunities to reduce swelling. This is especially important when , since it leads to a violation of the usual way of life. The course of treatment of lymphostasis in the lymphology clinic of the Innovative Vascular Center takes 21 days and gives very good results.
Can lymphedema be cured?
The first stage of lymphedema can be cured because there is no damage to the soft tissues. But many experts do not think so, because even a mild form of the disease puts the patient at risk for future episodes or worsening lymphedema. There are many people who have a first stage that does not go away with treatment, but it never becomes a serious problem.
In the later stages, lymphedema cannot be completely cured because the tissue under the skin has been damaged. However, the appearance and sensations can be improved with treatment. Such patients should understand that such a condition requires lifelong monitoring.
How well it responds to treatment depends on the stage of lymphostasis. At one end of the spectrum are people who experience mild symptoms, which sometimes flare up and require periodic treatment. At the other end are people with more severe and / or persistent symptoms that require active treatment throughout their lives. Most people are somewhere in between. And for most, lymphedema is a dynamic state that changes over time.
The patient and therapist must come to an understanding of how the body responds to treatment and choose the treatment that makes more sense in a particular case. It does not matter whether active treatment for the rest of life is necessary or not, but the patient should always be aware of the risks associated with the disease. You can find detailed information about the prevention and treatment of lymphedema, as well as modern methods of treatment at any stage, on the site lymphedema.ru