Lymphedema Therapy

What is Lymphedema?

Lymphedema is a condition where there is an accumulation of fluid in the interstitial tissues of the body. Manual Lymph Drainage (MLD) is a specialized massage technique performed to stimulate the flow of lymph from an affected area. MLD is performed by a certified and licensed therapist. Lymphedema can occur after cancer therapy or any type of surgery or condition where the lymph system is sluggish.

Lymphedema may accompany these conditions:

Primary Lymphedema
Secondary Lymphedema
Post Mastectomy
Lymphedema due to treatment of cancer
Venous disorders
ENT disorders

Symptoms

Swelling of extremities, neck, breast or abdomen
Feelings of heaviness or limited movement
Changes to skin texture, color, or temperature
Aching or tingling in the affected extremity
Trouble fitting into clothes and difficulty dressing
Jewelry feels tight or leaves indentions in skin after wear

What to Expect with Treatment

The main objective of treatment (MLD) is to help return the patient to his/her normal lifestyle. While there is no cure for lymphedema, our goal is to assist and teach patients how to manage their symptoms successfully and prevent any complications/infections in the future. The goal of our MLD program is to achieve a patient's maximal edema reduction, custom exercise program, education of compression wrapping and fitting of an appropriate compression garment.

Complete Decongestive Therapy is made up of several components that include the following:

Manual Lymphatic Drainage - MLD is a gentle massage of the affected body part and surrounding tissue to move lymph fluid to areas where the lymphatic system is still functioning and can take over the transport of excess fluid.

Compression Bandaging - Following MLD, the affected area is wrapped in compression bandages to help prevent reaccumulation of lymphatic fluid.

Therapeutic Exercise - A customized exercise program is developed to strengthen muscles and improve circulation and function of the lymphatic system.

Compression Garments - Medical compression garments, when worn daily, help to maintain the results achieved through lymphedema treatment.

Self-care Education - Patients and/or their care givers are given at-home techniques for self-bandaging and proper limb care and precautions.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call 731-300-4950

If you are a provider's office and would like to refer a patient for Occupational Therapy, please call us at 731-300-4950 to schedule your patient's appointment. You may also fax the order and patient information to 731-300-4951 or email the order and patient information to referrals@patterson-pt.com and our front desk staff will be happy to contact your patient for scheduling.

Susan Hodges, PT, MLDT graduated from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in 1993 with a degree in Physical Therapy. She worked from 1993 to 2005 in a variety of roles in acute, in-patient rehabilitation, outpatient and sports therapy. In 1997, she

received her Vodder Manual Lymphatic Drainage Certification and started a MLD program in Jackson. To further expand her training, she has recently attained her CLT-LANA certification.