{"id":58897,"date":"2024-05-22T10:23:25","date_gmt":"2024-05-22T08:23:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/itechmedicaldivision.com\/?p=58897"},"modified":"2024-05-22T10:34:01","modified_gmt":"2024-05-22T08:34:01","slug":"lymphedema-what-is-it-causes-and-treatment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itechmedicaldivision.com\/en\/lymphedema-what-is-it-causes-and-treatment\/","title":{"rendered":"Lymphedema: what is it, causes and treatment"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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  1. What is lymphedema?<\/strong><\/a><\/li>
  2. Difference between oedema and lymphedema<\/strong><\/a><\/li>
  3. Primary and secondary lymphedema: differences<\/a><\/strong><\/li>
  4. How does the lymphatic system work?<\/a><\/strong><\/li>
  5. Symptoms of lymphedema<\/a><\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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    1. Lymphedema: the causes<\/a><\/strong><\/li>
    2. Diagnosis<\/a><\/strong><\/li>
    3. Therapy<\/a><\/strong><\/li>
    4. Pressotherapy for lymphedema: does it work? <\/a><\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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      The word Lymphedema is derived from the words \u201clymph\u201d (a fluid with a high protein concentration secreted by the lymphatic system) and the word \u201coedema\u201d from the Greek \u03bf\u1f34\u03b4\u03b7\u03bc\u03b1 meaning swelling. A limb affected by lymphedema will therefore be a limb \u201cswollen with lymph\u201d.<\/p>

      Lymphedema is a chronic condition<\/strong> that is becoming increasingly important in the scientific field due to the application of increasingly effective treatments. In fact, it is turning out to be no longer an unanswered pathology, but a field open to both different treatment options and major future developments.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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      What is lymphedema?<\/strong><\/h2>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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      Lymphoedema is an oedema, i.e. an accumulation of fluid with a high interstitial protein concentration<\/strong>. It is due to a reduced transport capacity of the lymphatic circulation.<\/p>

      The increased protein concentration differentiates it from all other oedemas and is responsible for symptoms and signs that allow the classification of lymphedema into primary and secondary.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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      Difference between oedema and lymphedema<\/h2>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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      Generally, oedema is defined as an abnormal accumulation of fluid that occurs in the body’s interstitial space <\/strong>(such as in the pericardial sac, intrapleural space, peritoneal cavity or joint capsules).<\/p>

      \u00a0<\/p>

      There are many causes of oedema<\/strong>, the most common of which include congestive heart failure, constrictive pericarditis, nephrotic syndromes, liver disease (cirrhosis), allergic reactions (urticaria or angioedema), malabsorption, caloric-protein malnutrition, obstructive sleep apnoea, pregnancy or side effects of medication. When unilateral or asymmetrical oedema is present, venous thrombosis is suspected.<\/p>

      Localised oedema<\/strong> is generally due to cellulitis, chronic venous insufficiency, deep vein thrombosis, lymphoedema or May-Thurner syndrome. When the oedematous area is warm and the patient’s vital parameters are unstable (febrile, tachycardic or tachypnoea), infectious and\/or thrombotic causes must be suspected.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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      Primary and secondary lymphedema: differences<\/strong><\/h2>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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      Primary (or congenital) lymphedema<\/strong> refers to lymphedema due to a defect, presumably genetic, in the lymphatic drainage, which is triggered by structural alterations in the lymphatic system. It is understood to be lymphatic oedema that is evident as early as the first months of life, in infancy or youth. It normally appears as a result of the condition already present at birth.<\/p>

      Secondary lymphedema<\/strong> refers to lymphedema that occurs as a result of external events that damage the lymphatic drainage pathways. Examples include the removal of lymph node stations following cancer surgery, degeneration of lymph node stations following radiotherapy, the presence of traumatic events and parasitosis (including filariasis).<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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      How does the lymphatic system work<\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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      In our body there are two major systems responsible for transporting blood, the arterial and venous systems<\/strong>. The two systems converge at the periphery, where arterial and venous capillaries and the interstitium meet.<\/p>

      Arterial blood flows through the capillaries carrying nutrients to the tissues, while the venous system begins to collect waste substances.<\/p>

      The interstitium is made up of a network of cells and fibres and is the place where interstitial fluid, consisting of water, proteins, mineral salts and various types of cells, flows.<\/p>

      \u00a0<\/p>

      The lymphatic system is a drainage system parallel to the venous system<\/strong> and has the basic task of draining interstitial fluids within the peripheral connective tissue. If there is an increase in the production of interstitial fluid, the lymphatic system maintains the balance.<\/p>

      It is precisely when this does not happen that the condition known as \u201coedema\u201d<\/strong> occurs.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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      Symptoms of lymphedema<\/h2>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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      Lymphedema generates characteristic symptoms including chronic swelling of the limbs, feeling of heaviness, tension and soreness of the affected limb<\/strong>.<\/p>

      It is a pathology that manifests itself asymmetrically<\/strong>. This means that it only affects one arm or one leg. Even in rare cases where it may affect both limbs, one limb tends to be more swollen than the other.<\/p>

      The swelling can be mild or severe, to the point of degenerating in some cases into elephantiasis, a disease characterised by abnormal thickening of the skin and underlying connective tissue.<\/p>

      These are not the only symptoms that can occur in a patient with lymphedema.<\/p>

      The other symptoms are almost all skin-related<\/strong>. In fact, as well as thickening, it becomes more fragile and more susceptible to infection. It is also easy to observe a change in colour, with the skin appearing shinier and at the same time discoloured.<\/p>

      In some cases, the affected person, in addition to the heaviness and constriction of the limb, may feel tension and itching of the skin.<\/p>

      This is why lymphedema can be bothersome despite not being a painful condition.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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      Lymphedema: The cause<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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      Causes of lymphedema<\/strong> include:<\/p>

      Excluding primary lymphedema<\/strong>, which we recall is due to a malformation<\/strong> and thus a malfunction of the lymphatic vessels or lymph nodes, secondary lymphedema<\/strong> arises following surgery for tumour pathology with removal of lymph nodes.
      Other causes of lymphedema are as follows:<\/p>