Sometimes, after getting a cancer-free diagnosis when you think your battle is over, you’re stuck dealing with a new challenge: painful swelling caused by lymphedema.
Lymphedema is an uncomfortable condition that often affects patients when lymph nodes are removed or damaged during or after their cancer treatment. It most commonly affects arms and legs, but lymphedema can also develop in other parts of your body.
Keep reading to learn more about how to treat lymphedema.
There are two types of lymphedema: primary and secondary.
Signs that you might have lymphedema include:
If you start seeing signs of lymphedema, early treatment can make a difference. Visit your healthcare provider right away if you notice any changes in your body while you have cancer or after cancer surgery or radiation treatment.
They will check for swelling and—in some cases—do non-invasive imaging testing before diagnosing you with secondary lymphedema.
Right now, there’s no cure for lymphedema, nor is there a way for doctors to predict which patients will develop this disorder). It’s very unpredictable condition; however, your healthcare provider can work with you to create a lymphedema treatment plan—for reducing pain and risks associated with the condition—so that you can get back to living your life to the fullest.
You can also control swelling caused by lymphedema by eating a healthy diet. Nutritious foods that are low-fat, low in sodium, high-fiber, and minimally processed can help you reach and maintain your ideal weight.
Watching what you eat not only helps reduce symptoms of lymphedema, but it can make you feel healthier overall.
Logansport Memorial Hospital’s experienced physical therapy team helps patients develop, maintain, and restore maximum movement and function when those abilities have been threatened by aging, injury, environmental factors, or diseases like lymphedema.
To learn more about our physical therapy services or make an appointment with a certified lymphedema therapist close-to-home, right here in north-central Indiana, call (574) 753-1380.