It’s quite common to have swelling (edema) that doesn’t go away, especially as you grow old. People often have chronic swelling of their legs, but it may well occur throughout the body.
One reason for chronic swelling is lymphedema, a medical condition that may develop when there are problems with the lymphatic system. Lymphedema may worsen over time and won’t go away by itself. That’s why it’s essential to hunt treatment if you happen to think you’ve gotten lymphedema.
Below, we explain the causes and stages of lymphedema, plus treatments to assist keep symptoms under control.
What’s lymphedema? A buildup of lymph fluid under your skin
Lymphedema is a condition that causes swelling in numerous parts of your body, including your legs, arms, stomach, neck and genital area. It happens in case your lymphatic system doesn’t work properly because your lymph nodes have been damaged or removed.
The lymphatic system features a network of vessels, nodes and ducts, and is a very important a part of your immune system. It collects fluid, proteins and toxins out of your cells and tissues, and destroys the old or abnormal cells. It also moves a colorless, watery fluid (lymph fluid) back into your bloodstream.
Lymph nodes are the a part of the lymphatic system that trap and destroy the foreign substances like tumor cells, bacteria and viruses. In case your lymph nodes are damaged or removed, your lymphatic system may not find a way to gather and distribute the surplus fluid out of your tissues. As an alternative, lymph fluid builds up in your tissues, causing them to swell.
Where lymphedema starts: Anywhere you’ve gotten lymph nodes
Lymphedema can start in any a part of your body where you’ve gotten lymph nodes – you’ve gotten about 600 of those tiny bean-shaped organs throughout your body. They’re mostly positioned where major blood vessels come together in your neck, armpits, chest, stomach, genital area and behind your ears.
Lymphedema symptoms by stage: How the condition can worsen over time
Lymphedema symptoms might be hard to identify at first but grow to be more obvious with time. Without treatment, the condition can grow to be serious. But if you happen to start on a treatment plan when lymphedema is in its early stages, you’ll likely need fewer ongoing treatments. So, it’s essential to make an appointment with a primary care doctor or follow-up together with your oncologist if you happen to think you’ve gotten symptoms of lymphedema.
Lymphedema stages: What they mean
Stage | Symptoms |
---|---|
Stage 0 | No visible swelling, however the affected area may feel heavy, and the skin may feel tight. |
Stage 1 | You may have occasional swelling, nevertheless it goes away while you raise the affected area. |
Stage 2 | The realm is sort of all the time swollen and feels hard to the touch. The swelling doesn’t go away, even while you raise the affected area. |
Stage 3 | The realm is amazingly swollen, and it could be difficult to maneuver it. Your skin may look thick and dry, or there could also be blisters that leak. |
Stage 0-3: The affected area feels different
The primary symptom of lymphedema is generally a change in how your body feels. With mild lymphedema, chances are you’ll notice recent aching, fullness or heaviness in an area of your body. Alternatively, chances are you’ll not notice anything in any respect.
Later stages of lymphedema might be more uncomfortable, even painful. Lymphedema pain may feel like tightness, tingling, burning or itching. If you’ve gotten a related skin infection (more on that below), your skin could also be hot to the touch.
Stage 1-3: Swelling is essentially the most obvious sign
With lymphedema, it’s most typical to have swelling partly or all of 1 arm or leg – including fingers or toes – but you too can have swelling in your face, trunk, stomach or genital area.
Even if you happen to haven’t gained weight, you may find you possibly can’t get your arm in your jacket sleeve or button your pants. It’s possible you’ll must loosen your watch or leave the highest button of your shirt open.
For the reason that excess fluid collects across the affected lymph nodes, swelling could also be localized in a single area of the body – your arms or legs may even be different sizes. For instance, if you’ve gotten lymphedema in your leg, chances are you’ll find your shoe and pant leg are tight on one side but fit nice on the opposite.
In early stages, lymphedema swelling might be minimal and come and go. In later stages, chronic swelling could make an area appear twice (or more) its normal size.
Stage 2-3: Skin can harden and thicken
When you’ve gotten a variety of swelling, it may well make the affected skin look shiny and feel tight. If the swelling doesn’t go away, it may well cause skin to harden and thicken – this is named fibrosis. The skin may grow to be darker in areas, flaky or develop small cracks.
If an individual has severe lymphedema in one among their legs, they might develop dry warty spots on their ankles, feet and toes. In very severe cases, the skin can develop very thick folds and bulges, making it resemble elephant skin.
Stage 3: It’s harder to maneuver the affected area
Chronic swelling and thicker skin around your joints can restrict your range of motion. If you’ve gotten lymphedema in an arm or a leg, chances are you’ll be unable to maneuver the limb by itself. As an alternative, chances are you’ll need to make use of your unaffected arm to maneuver it along. This could make it difficult to do each day activities or exercise.
Stage 3: Skin infections may cause serious problems
Skin infections called cellulitis are more likely with later stage lymphedema. For the reason that immune system isn’t working as well, the body has a tough time fighting off bacteria from small injuries like a cut or scratch. These skin infections can look swollen, be painful and feel warm to the touch. Cellulitis is a medical emergency and can result in sepsis if not treated.
Severe swelling may cause small breaks within the skin and blisters that lymph fluid drains through. Without proper care, these sores may cause nonhealing wounds or skin infections.
Lymphedema causes: Why your lymphatic system could also be damaged
Damage to the lymphatic system is generally the results of surgery, trauma, radiation therapy or one other medical condition. In rare instances, it’s possible for lymphedema to be an inherited condition. Specific causes of lymphedema include:
Cancer treatment
Radiation therapy may cause damage or inflammation to lymph nodes. And surgery to remove lymph nodes could also be really useful if there’s a likelihood that cancer has spread to them. You won’t necessarily get lymphedema after radiation and even after lymph node removal – there’s just the next likelihood that you’ll.
Lymphedema after cancer treatment can show up soon after the procedure, or it may well take months or years to develop. And while lymphedema can follow treatment of nearly any style of cancer, it’s more common when treating:
- Breast cancer
- Prostate cancer
- Pelvic area cancers (corresponding to bladder, penile, testicular, endometrial, vulvar or cervical cancer)
- Lymphoma
- Melanoma
- Head and neck cancers
The placement of lymphedema is commonly related to the world that was treated. For instance, if lymphedema follows breast cancer treatment it may well affect the breast, chest, armpit and arm.
Cancer and other tumors
If a tumor blocks a part of the lymphatic system, corresponding to a lymph node or a lymph vessel, your body may not find a way to return lymph fluid to the bloodstream.
Trauma
It’s possible for a traumatic accident to cause damage to the lymphatic system, even when there’s no injury to the skin.
Infection
Infections, corresponding to skin infections, can damage your lymph nodes and affect your body’s ability to maneuver lymph fluid.
Being very obese
Carrying extra weight can increase the pressure on lymph nodes and vessels, making it harder for lymph fluid to maneuver into the bloodstream.
Inherited conditions
About 1 in 100,000 people get lymphedema brought on by inherited conditions that affect how the lymphatic system works. These conditions almost all the time develop during childhood and include:
- Milroy’s disease – some babies are born with it
- Meige’s disease – affects people going through puberty, or pregnancy before age 35
- Lymphedema tarda – causes leg swelling in people over 35
A physical exam could also be enough to diagnose lymphedema if you happen to’re at an increased risk because of radiation or surgery that would have affected your lymph nodes.
If it’s unclear why you’ve gotten swelling in your body, your doctor may recommend imaging tests (corresponding to an ultrasound) to see if the cause is blocked lymph nodes or something else.
Can lymphedema go away? There’s no cure, but lymphedema treatments can assist
It’s impossible to reverse the lymph node damage that causes lymphedema. And if lymph nodes have been removed, they’re gone permanently. But there are a selection of treatments that may reduce swelling, discomfort and the danger of complications. And the earlier you begin treatment, the better it’ll be to administer your symptoms long run.
The goal of lymphedema treatment is to administer symptoms
Certainly one of the primary goals of treatment is to maintain the lymphatic fluid moving through your body. One of the best treatment for lymphedema is generally a mix of lymphedema therapy and self-care. Surgery might also be an option if you’ve gotten severe lymphedema and other treatments don’t work.
Lymphedema therapy can assist move trapped lymph fluid
Now we have specially trained occupational and physical therapists who provide rehabilitation for lymphedema. They can assist with:
- Lymphatic massage (manual lymphatic drainage) – Your therapist will use light pressure to softly move trapped fluid toward an area with working lymph vessels.
- Compression bandages or garments – Your therapist may recommend wearing compression bandages, stockings or sleeves to scale back swelling and help move lymph fluid back into circulation. There are different levels of compression, and chances are you’ll need a prescription to make sure you get the precise one.
- Exercise and movement plan – In some cases, moving your muscles can assist move lymph fluid away from a swollen area. Your therapist will recommend exercises in the event that they make sense for you.
- Education – Your therapist will provide tailored information that may enable you manage swelling on your individual.
- Pneumatic compression therapy – For this therapy, you wear an inflatable sleeve over your affected arm or leg. When the sleeve is inflated, the pressure helps move lymph fluid away from swollen fingers and toes.
Medications are used for skin infections
In case you get a skin infection, it’ll be essential to start out treatment instantly. Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics to maintain at home, so you possibly can begin taking the medication immediately.
Self-care can assist prevent skin infections and support healing
If you’ve gotten lymphedema, you’ll must work with a therapist or doctor to administer your symptoms, but there are things you possibly can do at home that can assist.
- Every day skin routine – Wash, moisturize and check your skin for damage corresponding to cracks and cuts.
- Avoid skin injuries – You’ll also need to take extra steps to avoid injuring your skin, since burns, scrapes and cuts make it more likely that you just’ll get skin infections and nonhealing wounds. For instance, use an electrical razor and wear kneepads while you garden.
- Make healthy decisions – Your body may find a way to heal more quickly while you eat a nutritious weight loss program, find time for regular exercise and get the sleep you wish.
Lymphedema surgery may reduce symptoms for severe cases
If you’ve gotten severe lymphedema and other treatments don’t work, your doctor may recommend surgery to scale back (not cure) your symptoms.
- Creating recent drainage paths: The doctor reroutes your lymphatic vessels and veins, so that they go across the blockages which might be stopping the lymph fluid from draining.
- Lymph node transplant: The doctor replaces damaged lymph nodes with healthy ones taken from a distinct a part of the body.
- Removing hardened tissue: If lymphedema has caused soft tissue to harden, the doctor may surgically remove skin, fat or tissues which might be blocking the lymph nodes.
When to see a health care provider about swelling
There are different explanation why you will have swelling that won’t go away or keeps coming back. But it’s best to hunt treatment as soon as possible since swelling is usually a sign of a more serious condition.
In case you think the swelling could also be related to cancer treatment, contact your oncologist. Otherwise, make an appointment together with your primary care doctor. Either doctor can assist discover what’s causing your symptoms and how to administer them. If needed, they will provide a referral for specialty treatment.