Lymphedema: Symptoms, Causes, & Treatments
¿Qué es el linfedema?
Lymphedema is a long-term condition caused by damaged lymph vessels resulting in fluid buildup in the surrounding tissues, which mostly affects the legs. This causes a build-up of lymph fluid. This fluid frequently pools in the legs, causing swelling, heaviness, discomfort, loss of range of motion, recurring infections, and ultimately, damage to the vessels and tissues in the area.
Symptoms of Lymphedema
- Hinchazón en una o varias extremidades, incluidos los dedos de manos y pies.
- Molestias y dolores
- Pesadez
- Fatiga
- Infección recurrente
- Thickening of the skin and/or discoloration
If you’re experiencing any of the symptoms listed above, don’t put off seeing a specialist any longer. Find a UVVC vascular clinic today and request a consultation.
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What Causes Lymphedema?
There are several potential causes of lymphedema, and causes differ depending on the type of lymphedema:
- Primary (rare) – caused by defects in the formation of lymph nodes, Meige disease, and Milroy disease
- Secondary – caused by another condition, such as CVI, cancer treatment, surgery, or infection
Opciones de tratamiento del linfedema
Receiving treatment can improve your quality of life and reduce the rise of complications due to the condition. Early detection can lead to a better quality of life.
Treatment Options include:
- Exercise Therapy – Movement helps the lymph vessels drain excess lymphatic fluid and can therefore help prevent the condition from worsening
- Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) – Closing off damaged veins to reroute blood
- Manual Lymph Drainage – This is a gentle massage technique used to help manually push lymph fluid out of the affected limb, encouraging proper drainage. This massage technique may be done by a physical therapist, and your therapist may show you some techniques you can use at home, as well
- Bandaging – Your doctor or therapist may teach you special bandaging techniques to help lymph fluid drain. Bandaging involves wrapping tighter at your toes and loosening the wrapping as you work your way towards the trunk, creating a funnel of sorts to direct lymph fluid out of the limb
- Compression Therapy – Your doctor may recommend that compression garments be worn on the affected limb to encourage lymph drainage. Exercise is often combined with compression therapy to improve drainage even further
- Pneumatic Compression – Pneumatic compression uses a sleeve that attaches to a pump and fills with air intermittently to help pump the lymph fluid back to the trunk
Benefits of Treatment
Dado que el linfedema es una afección a largo plazo, es posible que se pregunte para qué sirven realmente todos los tratamientos que se ofrecen para él. Los principales objetivos del tratamiento del linfedema son los siguientes:
- Reducción de la retención de líquido linfático
- Mejorar la calidad de vida; mejorar la salud física y mental
- Mejorar la movilidad y la amplitud de movimiento
- Prevenir la infección
- Tratar la causa subyacente del linfedema (por ejemplo, insuficiencia venosa crónica).
Dado que el linfedema puede causar muchas molestias y varias complicaciones si no se trata, es importante empezar pronto el tratamiento y seguir las terapias recomendadas por el médico. Un linfedema grave puede dificultar el uso de la extremidad afectada y requerir cirugía, por lo que un enfoque proactivo puede evitar muchas penurias a quienes padecen esta afección.
Si uno tiene linfedema, debe someterse a una evaluación ecográfica diagnóstica para identificar si la insuficiencia venosa es un factor subyacente. Si se diagnostica insuficiencia venosa, los pacientes deben someterse a tratamiento. La combinación de linfedema e insuficiencia venosa se denomina flebolinfedema.
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