Stand up against breast cancer
Breast cancer survivors may face a post operative disease known as Lymphoedema, but can rest assured that there is treatment available should they face this.
As October was Breast Cancer Awareness Month, cancer survivors and women living with breast cancer celebrated breast cancer month by getting to know the facts they may have to deal with after conquering the fight against breast cancer.
The little known fact is 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 also 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.
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 efficiency with treatment.
Evidence has shown that in addition to reducing lymph fluid from the limb, it improves shoulder range of motion and decreases pain.
There are four points of action for Lymphoedema sufferers which include skin care, manual lymph drainage, low-stretch compression bandaging and compression garments as well as movement therapies.
Breast Cancer survivors can rest assured that there is help available, should they face Lymphoedema.
The bad news is that not every occupational therapist is qualified to do lymph drainage at this level and a breast cancer survivor needs 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.
