Can you massage away lymphedema?

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asked Nov 22, 2022 in Diseases Conditions by Katbabba (1,520 points)
Can you massage away lymphedema?

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answered Dec 29, 2022 by youcalledme (6,640 points)
You can massage away lymphedema by doing a lymphatic drainage massage which is safe treatment to relieve and treat lymphedema.

Things that can worsen lymphedema include injuries, burns and skin infections.

To stop lymphedema from progressing and getting worse you can do the following.

Protect your skin. One way to reduce your risk for lymphedema is to protect your skin.
Moisturize your skin. Keep your skin clean and moisturized to prevent chapping and chafing.
Avoid tight clothing.
Maintain a healthy weight.
Try manual lymphatic massage.

Lymphedema can be caused by stress as stress affects the lymphatic system.

And when you are stressed the cortisol which is a stress fighting hormone is released which leads to metabolic acidosis.

And the nature of cortisol's acidic nature causes a breakdown of the lymphoid tissue and impedes lymphatic flow.

The most common cause of lymphedema is cancer.

When cancer cells block the lymph vessels then lymphedema can result.

A tumor that grows near a lymph node or lymph vessel can enlarge enough in size and block the flow of lymph fluid leading to lymphedema.

The people who are most likely to get lymphedema include elderly people, people of advanced age, people who are overweight or obese and people who have Rheumatoid or psoriatic arthritis.

Lymphedema is swelling due to build-up of lymph fluid in the body. Lymph nodes act like a drain in your sink.

If the drain is clogged, the fluid cannot drain.

The Lymphedema usually happens in the arms or legs, but can occur in other parts of the body.

Lymphedema occurs as a result of a blockage in the lymphatic system.

This is most often caused by a traumatic event, such as sports injuries or deep cuts and bruises, as an aftereffect of surgery or cancer treatment.

More rarely, lymphedema can occur as birth defect or symptom of infection.

There is no cure for lymphedema, but it is usually possible to control the main symptoms using techniques to minimize fluid build-up and stimulate the flow of fluid through the lymphatic system.

The warning signs of lymphedema include.

Feeling of tightness, heaviness or fullness.
Aching in the affected area.
Swelling that comes and goes or is more noticeable at the end of the day.
Clothing, shoes or jewellery feeling tighter than usual.
And not being able to fully move the affected limb.

Stage 1 is early edema, which improves with limb elevation.

Stage 2 represents pitting edema that does not resolve with elevation.

Stage 3 describes fibroadipose deposition and skin changes.

The severity of lymphedema is categorized as mild (<20% increase in extremity volume), moderate (20–40%), or severe (>40%).

There are three forms of hereditary lymphedema which are characterized by age of onset: type I (congenital or up to 2 years of age); type II (from 2 to 35 years of age) and lymphedema tarda (after 35 years of age).

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