Article on LE from Canada

kira66715

This came from the Pennisula Medical--maker of Reid Sleeve

http://www.leaderpost.com/health/Early+detection+lymphedema+crucial/6520425/story.html

excepts:

Unable to lift her arm and wrap her fingers around her beloved violin, Glenda Cook's life hit a melancholy note soon after she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Shortly after surgery in 2008, Cook developed lymphedema in her left arm. The abnormal build-up of fluid in tissue causes swelling - often in the arms or legs, but it can occur anywhere in the body.The arm might feel heavy or achy and swelling is a major symptom, but often the early signs manifest before there is any swelling," Cook said. "The main thing about lymphedema is that the earlier it is treated, the fewer problems there are down the road."

Lymphedema is a specialized area that is not well understood by some health-care professionals and patients, Gardikiotis said.

To educate patients, health-care workers and policy-makers about the chronic condition, the association, in conjunction with the Continuing Physical Therapy Education department at the University of Saskatchewan and the RQHR held a Lymphedema Management Symposium last week that featured experts from the Mayo Clinic, the Toronto area and Montreal.

Experts at the symposium strongly promoted exercise and reinforced the importance of using compression garments.

Patients diagnosed early often require just a compression garment to contain the swelling, Gardikiotis said.

For three years, Cook religiously wore a compression garment, did self massage and had manual lymph drainage - a light progressive massage to encourage drainage.

Since September, her arm has improved so she doesn't require a compression garment during the day, but wears a Reid Sleeve nightly and does compression wrapping.

Cook lamented that lymphedema treatment across Saskatchewan is spotty and said more specialists are required.

There is no cure, but if caught early, the impact can be significantly minimized, Gardikiotis said.

"In the later stage, there is some tissue damage and some of those changes are irreversible and they require much more treatment to maintain their limb at a stable point and minimize infection and keep them functioning," Gardikiotis said. "If not treated properly, it can have significant physical, psychosocial and financial implications on patients' lives so we're really striving to increase lymphedema awareness and education to ensure that we can improve the care that we are offering patients."

So, as we all know, we all need our tool box, and then we--as my LE therapist says (she of "whack a mole" fame)--see what we can get away with. 

So, some people just need daytime garments, some need nighttime, and some need both, and some need "prn"--as they need it--treatment. But ignorance isn't bliss, it's denial and under treatment.

And too bad there's so few therapists in this area of Canada

Kira