Compression Machine but no MLD?

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cinnamonsmiles
cinnamonsmiles Member Posts: 779
edited June 2014 in Lymphedema

I thought I read some where that even you have a compression machine at home, it is still good to do the MLD. I met a lady in another thread who I am not sure knows a lot about her LE and LE in genereal. I tried to stress that doing MLD every day could be helpful. But she seemed to be stuck on the fact that machine does it for her. I think she had it on her back, too...not totally sure if I am remembering that correctly.

Isn't it good to do MLD even if you have a pumping maching? (She didn't know about belly breathing and opening/closing fists, and having arms above the heart either).

I told her about this LE site which I think is phenomenal, and some other good sites I have learned from here.

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  • sisterinspirit
    sisterinspirit Member Posts: 204
    edited January 2013

    cinnamonsmiles,

    You did the right thing!  I was prescribed a Flexitouch a couple of years ago, and neither my LE therapist or Flexi rep told me that I needed to clear out my nodes before and after treatment.  Flexi actually made by condition worse, so I sent it back.  I wish I had been properly trained because I think the Flexi would have been helpful.  A compression pump does not take the place of MLD.  It is just another helpful tool in the toolbox.

    Deb

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  • carol57
    carol57 Member Posts: 3,567
    edited January 2013

    Cinnamon, the pump moves lymph in the desired direction, but there has to be a place for it to go.  Clearing the nodes and doing deep breathing to empty the larger, deep lymphatic vessels primes the pump, so to speak, so when it pushes fluid, the fluid can easily move out of the affected quadrant and into the rest of the lymphatic system for disposal.

    Dr. Joseph Feldman, who is a lymphedema specialist and head of LANA, spoke at the OSU LE Summit last August, all about pumps.  His opinion is that years ago he prescribed them regularly, but that now, with more experience, he believes that pumps are best provided to patients for whom standard CDT has not worked, or to patients who for physical or practical reasons cannot perform self-LE care, including MLD (say, inability to use one of your hands to reach where you need to do MLD).

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