There is help for lymphoedema sufferers

As October is breast cancer awareness month, Carin Dreijer du Plessis, Lymphoedema Therapist at the Wilgeheuwel Hospital in Honeydew hosted a Lymphoedema Day where all patients were treated for free to celebrate and spoil breast cancer survivors and people who suffer from lymphoedema.

Carin says it is a little-known fact that breast cancer survivors develop lymphoedema post-operatively. “Lymphoedema can develop anything from three months to 30 years after breast cancer surgery and treatment.”

Lymphoedema is abnormal swelling that can develop in a limb after breast cancer surgery and treatment. It can lead to chronic inflammation and swelling contributing to fibrosis, skin breakdown and increased risk of infection.

“This has become quite a concern as most breast cancer survivors that have had lymph vessels removed don’t always understand why the affected limb starts swelling. Many are not aware that there is help available and they don’t have to suffer the embarrassment of an enlarged limb and the discomfort that is associated with it,” Carin says.

Although lymphoedema is not curable, it can be managed with early recognition and therapy. A delay in intervention may lead to more severe symptoms and decrease the efficiency of treatment. Evidence has shown that in addition to reducing lymph fluid in the limb, it improves shoulder range of motion and decreases pain.

There are four points of action for lymphoedema sufferers:

• Skin care

• Manual lymph drainage

• Low-stretch compression bandaging and compression garment

• Movement therapies

When patients were asked how they felt about having to deal with lymphoedema, their comments were varied:

• I will give anything to get rid of it!

• It is uncomfortable, your clothes don’t fit and moving the swollen arm is difficult at times.

• It is ongoing and that is frustrating. You can cure breast cancer but lymphoedema stays with you for the rest of your life.

When asked how they felt about manual lymph drainage treatments, they remarked:

• It is very positive to know there is something that works.

• Therapy helps a lot! It was a huge success and very necessary.

• I wouldn’t be able to cope without having manual lymph drainage therapy and wearing my compression garments. It helps with the drainage and joint stiffness that occurs.

• Excellent! It definitely helps to relieve the swelling, pins-and-needles and hardness that you experience from time to time.

The bad news is that not every occupational therapist is qualified to do lymph drainage at this level and breast cancer survivors need to make sure that they seek out a qualified and practiced therapist to help them.

For more information on the treatment of lymphoedema contact the Cancer Association on www.cansa.org.za or the South African Lymphoedema Association’s website on www.lymphafrica.net.