Getting Lymphedema Under Control
By James Perry
Lymphedema can be a very destressing and disabling disorder which can impact so many different areas of your life. Unfortunately, many people diagnosed with lymphedema, often do not recognize they have the disorder until it is too late. This CDC video by (Lymphatic Education Research Network, 2019) staring Kathy Bates goes into detail on the causes and symptoms of the disorder.
The excess swelling, caused by lymphedema, can make the affected limb more painful, or harder to move. The swelling can also prevent you from wearing your favorite clothing, or make you feel embarrassed about the appearance of the affected limb. These consequences of the symptoms make many of those diagnosed with the disorder feel trapped. This often leads to decreased participation in your favorite activities. Others diagnosed with lymphedema share these same experiences, and it is important to recognize that you are not alone.
Increased research has begun over the past years into the topic of lymphedema management, and the good news is the symptoms are manageable. There is no cure for it, but simple lifestyle changes can have a major impact on the swelling. Getting your symptoms back under control is the first step in getting rid of that trapped feeling you may be experiencing. Changes you can make such as diet adjustments, performing daily exercises, and improved skin care can help you get these symptoms back under control.
Dietary Changes
Your diet has a major role to play when it comes to the swelling you experience. Simple changes supported by a study conducted by (Cavezzi et al., 2019) you can make to your diet can help you reduce the swelling from your lymphedema. They found that your diet should contain:
- More fruits, vegetables, fermented foods, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, nuts, and fish.
- you should eat foods rich with nutraceuticals, coumarin, and curcumin, such a turmeric.
- Intermittent fasting, which occurs for a twenty-four-hour period once or twice a week.
- You should decrease the amount of fat, and calories in your diet.
They found you should avoid:
- Avoid highly processed carbs,
- excess sugar and salt consumption,
- and diets high in omega 6 or 9 fatty acids.
Making these changes can help reduce the swelling in your effected limb.
Exercise Routines
Remember: it is important for you to consult a physician first before attempting to exercise, as all exercises need to be completed with a compression sleeve on your effected limb. Your physician will help provide you with the one that works best for your limb.
Exercise plays an important role in the management of your swelling. The contractions of your muscles help to push the lymph fluid out of the extremity and can help decrease the swelling in your limb. The movement of the limb is the most important piece when managing your swelling. A study conducted by (Comrie et al., 2016) assessed if the intensity of a workout had any effect on decreasing the swelling in the affected limb. They found that there was no difference in reduction in the swelling between those who had a light work out or a vigorous workout. So, if you keep your affected limb active you should expect to see the swelling decrease. Check out this video from (Fox 2 St.Louis, 2019) demonstrating the benefits of exercises on lymphedema management.
- Please note lymphedema will not kill you. But it is very important to perform proper skin care for the reasons listed below.
Skin Care
Taking care of your skin is crucial to your health and wellbeing with lymphedema. The increased swelling causes the skin to thicken and can cause your skin to develop folds. If left unchecked these folds can breed bacteria which can lead to infections. Jones (et al, 2019) conducted a study assessing the importance of skin care with lymphedema management. They found that it is important for those diagnosed with lymphedema to perform daily skin checks to ensure their skin is not worsening. They suggest finding a doctor and remaining in close contact with them is key to manage symptoms. Explaining your situation to your doctor provides them the personal information they need to best serve you. It may be difficult at first but try to be as open with your doctor to help get the best treatment for your swelling as possible. Below is a video from (Atlas Therapy Group, 2019) going into further detail on the importance of skin care.
