Patient Guidelines

Patient Guidelines
• Avoid tight clothes and tight bands on socks or underwear
• Do not get a needle or blood drawn from the area
• Avoid heat and burns, including the sun
• Protect from insect bites, cuts and bruises
• Do not cut cuticles
• Be careful clipping toenails
• Use an electric razor to avoid cuts
• Do not go barefoot or wear open toe shoes

Maintain optimum weight, as extra weight adds to the burden of the lymphatic system and can worsen lymphedema. Follow good nutritional guidelines and avoid salt and fatty foods. Limit protein intake.

Exercise should be low impact – stretching, walking, and swimming. Good breathing exercise is important. Avoid excessive fatigue and overheating. Elevate affected limbs when resting.

Use caution so as not to traumatize an affected limb such as by carrying a shoulder bag on the side of an affected arm. Do not wear constrictive clothing or jewelry, or wear heavy prosthesis. Do not over exert or place extra pressure on an affected limb such as by sleeping on it. Do not receive acupuncture, injections, and blood pressure testing on an affected limb. Avoid hot tubs, saunas, steam baths and other extreme temperature changes, whether hot or cold.

Keep the affected extremity higher than your heart to let gravity drain the accumulated fluid.

Patient Guidelines

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Flexibility and strengthening exercises may help drain fluid through muscular contractions "milking" the fluid back through the extremity. You should discuss these exercises with your physical therapist or physician.

Customized compression sleeves or elastic bandages applied in the proper manner may help prevent accumulation of fluid.

Maintain your ideal body weight. Many patients who are overweight
find the lymphedema improves with weight loss.

Reduce your salt and sugar intake to prevent fluid retention.

Manual lymphatic drainage performed by a professional therapist with specialized training and certification.

It is important to follow the recommendations to prevent lymphedema which will also reduce the problems you experience if it occurs.

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