LE in neck/jaw?

Trishia

Hello all!

My swelling is almost always in my chest/under arm area.  Well this last flare, I am now puffy up into my neck and jaw on my left side.  Anyone else have this?  I'm doing MLD that includes opening up the lymph nodes in the neck, but nothing for the jaw.  This flare has been on and off for an entire week.  UGH.  

Nordy

Trishia - You can sweep up under the jawline toward your ears (think right from the point of your chin along the mandible toward your ears) then empty the nodes along your neck and also empty your supraclavicular and subclavicular areas (above and below the collar bone). You should always start with deep breathing though! Any questions, please call me - you have my number girl!

Binney4

Trishia, bummer! Here's a gentle and simple neck and facial self-massage for lymphedema:
http://www.aurorahealthcare.org/FYWB_pdfs/x23169.pdf

Hope the swelling is completely down soon! Keep us posted.

Be well,
Binney

Trishia

Thank you so much!  That really helped.  Nordy, I hate to call people when I'm beign whiny! 

Nordy

Trishia... I don't mind the whine... besides I have some good cheese to go with it... badumbump

lionessdoe

Just wanted to add I too have it in my neck, jaw, and left side of my head. My PT taught me to clear lymph nodes to the front and rear of my left ear and sweep my scalp to alleviate swell. Sometimes it's so bad, I feel like I have water in my ear. I am constantly cleaning that ear thinking it's something else.

Trishia

Ugh.  I had no idea it could that.  For as educated as I think I am, LE seems to throw me for a loop on a regular basis!!! 

apple

Binney 4 I came across that massage instruction a while back.. probably here.  I really like it and rely on it to look and feel my best.

Binney4

Apple, thanks for the update -- I'm so glad to know it's helpful. Feels pretty darn good too, doesn't it? I've used it to calm our son, who's autistic, because it's so soothing.

Trishia, the lymph system is so full of surprises, not all of them happy ones, though SOME are -- it's truly an amazing system and does way more for us than anyone has ever understood in the past. Sort of a biological Last Frontier! Happily, there's a lot of research interest in the lymph system right now, so hopefully some of the nastier surprises will soon give way to real improvements in care. YES!

Anyhow, how's it going, Trishia? Hugs,
Binney

jennyboog

I'm sorry to jump in here but I'm so happy I found this topic.  I've had something going on with my neck for several weeks now and I had no idea LE could go to our neck.  I've never had any swelling in my arm but it does ache and have a pulling sensation.  My neck is doing the same thing and I've had a sore throat also so I thought it was allergies.  It has a numbness/burning sensation that comes and goes and today it felt warm to the touch with no swelling though.  Thank you so much, at least I have a possible reason for my problem.

Trishia

I'm doing well, thanks so much for asking.  I see my PT on Wednesday, which I am looking forward to.  In the meantime, adding the new MLD for the neck and face has been helpful.  I can't tell you how much I appreciate you!

I hope you are doing well!

Binney4

Jenny, any time an area with possible lymphedema is "warm to the touch," it should set off an alarm. Infection (cellulitis, usually) is so easy to get with lymphedema, and it can spread rapidly -- within an hour or two -- and become systemic. So warmth, burning, redness, any fever -- they're all reasons to high-tail it to your doctor or the ER (naturally these things always happen on weekends!)

Aside from that, do you have a well-trained lymphedema therapist who can evaluate your situation for you? If not, here's how to find one near you:
http://www.stepup-speakout.org/Finding_a_Qualified_Lymphedema_Therapist.htm

The "pulling" you're experiencing in your arm could possibly be cording (also called Axillary Web Syndrome, or AWS). That too can be helped by a qualified lymphedema therapist. Here's information about it:
http://www.stepup-speakout.org/Cording_and_Axillary_Web_Syndrome.htm

Whatever you do, for sure don't ignore any of this, as it can all be treated and helped. Keep us posted!
Binney

Binney4

Trishia, in your original post you mentioned you usually have swelling under your arm. JoviPac has a new swell-spot designed to address that area. See the "Mini Axilla Pad" and "Serratus Anterior with Axilla Pad" here:
http://www.jovipak.com/breastpads.html

Haven't tried them, but they sure look like they'd offer some relief.

Thanks so much for your kind words! Actually, I'm in the middle of a flare in my chest and right arm, so I'm wrapped and dangerous. This summer can't end soon enough for me.

Let us know how the PT goes this week. Be well!
Binney

LeapFrog39

Wow! I didn't know that could happen either.  Something to look out for. Hope it gets resolved and stays that way!

hymil

Well we are all learning. This forum is great.   I did wonder why you have to clear the neck and around the ears after doing the supraclavicular collecting area before you move onto the arms, but this makes sense of it. Someone told me there's a collecting area high-central on your back too?  I nearly always wake up with a chestful of phlegm that needs shifting with hot drink and tipping, and the neck drainage helps a lot with that too. I suspect having the LE arm up on a pillow in bed restricts how much I can toss and turn in my sleep. Before BC I used to always roll over and over and over(clockwise) can't do that anymore post-surgery and with a sensitive flat half-chest. Have not been at the gym this week, just too busy, not good and it means less deep breathing, more phlegm and stodgy-podgy arm.  It's good to be making progress in other areas but I need my bodycare time back!

jennyboog

Thanks Binney...I'm trying not to go into panic mode but I was starting to and then I found this topic.  It was such a relief to me....I had no idea LE could go to our necks.  To answer your question...no, I don't have a LE therapist.  To tell the truth I wasn't even told anything about LE except that it was a possibility.  I had an appt, with my PCM last week and mentioned the neck thing and she said "probably sinuses"...idiot!  Last I checked, sinuses doesn't cause burning in the side of your neck.  I plan on calling my onc tomorrow, I've given it 3 wks and it's not getting any better.  Thanks for the links too.  Great topic!

Trishia

Binney, I am so sorry you are flaring.  I hope it resolves soon.  I sleep in UnderArmour compression tops a size too small and it helps a ton.  

Okay I thought of this lying in bed doing my MLD last night.  What do we do about dental work?  You know how we avoid BP's and needle sticks on our affected sides?  Do we need to let our dentists know?  I highly doubt they can avoid needles on my left side if I have to get fillings or what not on the left side, but are there precautions we should take?

Nordy

Wow Trishia... I had never even thought of the dental work component... specifically with facial swelling. I am wondering that too. I hope you are getting some relief! And Binney - You too!