'Lymphedema' warning from the expert: “Any disorder in the lymphatic system can lead to lymphedema”

Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Specialist Dr. Hülya Yüksel warned about lymphedema disease and said, “Symptoms such as swelling in the arms and legs, temperature increase, redness or changes in the skin indicate lymphedema disease.”

Underlining that the lymph system is a system that plays a role in both the immune system and fluid balance in the human body, Acıbadem Kayseri Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Specialist Dr. Hülya Yüksel said that any disorder in the lymph system can lead to lymphedema disease. Giving information about this process, Dr. Yüksel said, “This condition can occur as a result of damage to the lymph nodes after removal of the lymph nodes after any cancer or radiotherapy, or congenitally after a disorder in the lymph ducts. Patients usually consult a doctor after swelling in the arms and legs. They may apply to us with symptoms of swelling in their legs, swelling in their arms, pain and skin infections. We primarily diagnose and then treat these patients,” he said.

“It may be congenital or may occur later through trauma”

Stating that lymphedema disease is divided into primary (primary) and secondary (secondary), Dr. Yüksel said, “Primary lymphedema is caused by the problem caused by the inclusion of lymph flow into the circulatory system as a result of congenital malfunction of the lymph ducts. It can usually be seen starting from the first year after birth until the 30s. Primary lymphedema mostly affects young people.”

Secondary lymphedema can occur as a result of any trauma, infection, surgical intervention, history of cancer, surgical removal of the nodes of the lymph nodes formed as a result of cancer, or interruption of the flow in the lymph pathways due to shrinkage of the lymph ducts due to radiotherapy. Stating that secondary lymphedema can occur at any age, Dr. Yüksel said, “Usually a history such as surgery, trauma, infection underlies. Lymphedema is primarily caused by the disruption of the flow in the system that cleans the large proteinaceous structures and adipose tissue formed in our body from our body and removes them upwards, resulting in lymphedema. This can usually be swelling in the arms and legs, neck, genital areas and head.”

“Swelling and pain impairs the patient's quality of life”

Stating that the patient presents with a swelling in one or both arms or legs during the diagnostic phase, Dr. Yüksel said that patients usually have an infection and cannot understand the cause of this swelling. Stating that symptoms such as skin changes, temperature increase or redness of the skin seen in the patient during the examination indicate lymphedema disease, Dr. Yüksel added that after the examination, if necessary, they apply to examinations such as ultrasound, lymphoscintigraphy and MRI to make a definitive diagnosis and apply treatment.

Pointing out that our patients' quality of life is impaired because they usually come with swelling and pain in their arms and legs, Dr. Yüksel said, “The patient becomes more susceptible to infection. Infections also increase swelling even more. In this sense, we apply complex unloading physiotherapy to patients.”

“Physiotherapy starts with skin care”

Noting that physiotherapy first starts with skin care, Dr. Yüksel said, “Skin care is very important because it is risky in terms of infection development. Every infection increases swelling. We apply treatments we call skin care, exercise and complex bandaging. First, we make measurements of the patients, after applying skin care, manual lymph drainage and complex bandaging, which we call complex draining physiotherapy, to the area where the patient has a diameter difference, we send the patient home with home programs.” Dr. Yüksel explained that they definitely plan the exercises of the patients, after making the measurements of the patient, when the desired diameter difference is reached, they recommend pressure garments for the patient to wear at home and follow up in this way.