You may have noticed after enjoying a performance at Sarasota Opera House that your calf feels tight on the inside. It may not look swollen, but it certainly feels that way.
Or you weren’t able to enjoy your usual walk on the beach at Siesta Key because your entire right leg has grown heavy, bloated, and uncomfortable.
It could be that you called off playing in your club’s tennis tournament because your arm is swollen and the skin doesn’t look right.
If any of this sounds familiar, you may be suffering from 1 of the 4 stages of lymphedema. This chronic condition affects 1 out of every 1000 Americans and has no known cure. However, lymphedema treatment in Sarasota can help you manage your symptoms to regain mobility and greatly improve your quality of life.
Florida Lakes Vein Center specializes in lymphedema and vein disease care. Request a vein screening to understand your condition, seek out underlying causes, and create a care plan that reduces the life-altering effects of lymphedema.
Read on to understand more about lymphedema treatment in Sarasota.
What is lymphedema?
When your body’s lymphatic system gets damaged or blocked, it can’t drain fluids properly. This back-up of lymph and other fluids leads to a chronic swelling in the blockage area known as lymphedema.
Most lymphedema sufferers experience swelling in the outer extremities such as the arms and legs. This swelling can include skin blistering and ulceration, depending on the stage of lymphedema. The disease can also strike these areas:
- Chest wall
- Belly/abdomen
- Neck
- Genitals
- Head
Though classified as a disease, you can’t “catch” lymphedema. But as a long-term condition, it can worsen over time if it’s not managed correctly. Seeking lymphedema treatment in Sarasota will help you address the symptoms for relief and do all that’s possible to seek out the root cause for further treatment.
Understanding the Lymphatic System
Your lymphatic system works as part of your immune system. This group of vessels, organs, and tissues keep your body fluid levels balanced, and work to defend your body from infections.
Most people don’t really consider how their lymphatic system works in the background, quietly draining excess lymph fluid from tissues and returning it to the bloodstream. This excess fluid consists of different combinations of substances which can include:
- White blood cells
- Proteins
- Minerals
- Waste products
- Cellular debris
- Cancer cells
- Germs
Most of these leak out of tiny blood capillaries. Lymph can also include chyle (intestinal fluid) and other interstitial fluids (non blood-based).
If the lymphatic system doesn’t return lymph to where it belongs, swelling occurs.Think of the system as a bad-stuff filter connected to drainage pipes. When the lymphatic system doesn’t regularly function or gets blocked, lymphedema occurs.
Related topic: DVT treatments in Sarasota.
Lymphedema Causes
Lymphedema most commonly develops as a response to other issues, but can also be the result of a rare genetic condition.
Heredity
Lymphedema can sometimes be present at birth in a condition called “congenital lymphedema,” It can also run in families as a hereditary issue. Both of these causative factors are quite rare, occuring in only about 1.5 out of every 100,000 children born in the U.S.
Cancer-Induced Lymphedema
Cancer can directly affect the lymphatic system. Treatments like chemotherapy and radiation are also major causes of lymphedema. For example, 1 in 5 women who have had breast cancer develop arm lymphedema.
Lymphedema caused by cancer treatment might not appear until months or even years after the treatment.
Lymphatic System Issues
If your lymph nodes aren’t filtering lymph properly or your lymphatic system is blocked, lymph fluid can back up and cause swelling.
Vein Disease
Additionally, vein problems like varicose veins can sometimes have symptoms similar to lymphedema, as they both involve poor circulation.
Lymphedema Treatment
In Sarasota, Florida Lakes Vein Center provides minimally invasive treatment options to help reduce swelling, address skin issues, and improve lymphatic drainage in your lower extremities.
Since the symptoms of lymphedema often overlap with those of vein disease, it’s important to get screened by a vein specialist. We offer free vein screenings followed by a personal consultation to create a customized plan tailored to your needs.
Our Lymphedema Treatment Process
Step 1: Discussing Your Issues
Your journey begins with a thorough discussion of your symptoms and health history. Your vein specialist will ask if you’ve had spider or varicose veins, and explore relevant factors like family history, lifestyle habits, and past treatments.
We will also conduct a visual exam of the affected areas to understand the extent of the symptoms.
Step 2: Detailed Examination
Next, we use ultrasound technology to examine the soft tissue and blood vessels in the affected area. This non-invasive method provides a clear view for a quick and accurate diagnosis.
Based on the findings, we’ll make recommendations for managing the disease and work with you to create a personalized treatment plan.
Step 3: Treatment and Follow-Up
Everyone’s treatment plan is unique. Often, we can start treatment after diagnosis thanks to our minimally invasive options.
Your Florida Lakes Vein Center provider will ensure you understand what to expect from your treatment and the steps you need to take at home to manage your condition effectively.
In-Center Treatments
You can expect any—or if needed, all—of the following to be part of your personalized treatment plan to help manage your lymphedema.
- Education: Guidance on lifestyle changes and activities to improve lymphatic drainage and reduce risk factors
- Lymphatic Massage: Gentle massage to stimulate lymphatic vessels and help drain excess fluid at our Florida Lakes Spa
- Compression socks: 15-20mg compression socks offer care for swelling and boost circulation
- Lymphedema Pumps: In many cases, automatic lymphedema pumps may be recommended. Your provider will explain all details if this is necessary.
At-Home Management
Effective management of lymphedema requires consistent effort at home. We will tailor your at-home regimen to fit in with your needs and lifestyle, and we will provide instructions to minimize disruption to your daily life. Key components include:
- Exercise: Help designing an exercise program to improve drainage.
- Diet: Guidance on dietary changes to support your health and manage lymphedema.
- Clothing: Advice on avoiding clothing that may worsen lymphedema.
- Compression Devices: Recommendations on appropriate compression devices if needed.
As your partner in managing lymphedema, we’ll ensure you understand the steps to take so you can get back to enjoying life.
Signs of Lymphedema
When you visit Florida Lakes Vein Center for lymphedema treatment in Sarasota, we will check for several signs and symptoms, such as:
- Swollen lymph nodes
- A feeling of heaviness or tightness in the affected area
- Swelling in part or all of the arm or leg, including fingers or toes
- Leg heaviness or fatigue
- Restricted range of motion due to swelling
- Hardening and thickening of the skin (fibrosis)
- Itchy or burning skin
- Blisters that can leak
- Skin discoloration or texture changes
- Restless legs
- Leg pain, aching, cramping, or throbbing
- Recurring infections
- Open wounds or sores
These symptoms can range from mild and barely noticeable to severe and restrictive.
Risk Factors for Lymphedema
The following characteristics can also contribute to developing lymphedema:
- Obesity/excess weight
- Older age
- Lymph node removal
- Lymphatic system damage
- Blood vessel issues
- Rheumatoid/psoriatic arthritis
- Congestive heart failure
- Kidney disease
Lymphedema Types
Our lymphedema treatment in Sarasota addresses 2 types of lymphedema.
Primary Lymphedema
Primary lymphedema is a rare genetic condition where the body’s lymphatic vessels never formed, or the lymphatic system is congenitally impaired. Both of these issues cause lymphatic fluid to build up, causing heaviness and swelling in the affected area.
Primary lymphedema comes in 3 different classifications:
- Congenital lymphedema. Present at birth or arises by 2 years of age
- Lymphedema praecox. Appears at puberty or the beginning of their 30s
- Lymphedema tarda. Occurs after 35 years of age
Secondary Lymphedema
As the most common form of lymphedema, we usually see patients for secondary lymphedema treatment in Sarasota. After a physical or medical injury or obstruction to your lymphatic system, secondary lymphedema can arise quickly or take years to exhibit symptoms.
Causes of Secondary Lymphedema
Worldwide
In undeveloped countries, secondary lymphedema most frequently occurs as a result of parasitic infection. The wuchereria bancrofti nematode arrives through mosquito bites, and then travels to the lymph nodes.
As it makes a home there, the parasite damages the nodes and the lymphatic vessels, thereby causing swelling and chronic inflammation. This infection can also create secondary bacterial infections which also cause lymphedema.
Cancer
In developed countries, malignancy or treatments/therapies related to the malignancy most frequently cause secondary lymphedema. This includes:
- Cancer treatments
- Lymph node surgery
- Targeted radiation treatment
- Other medical treatments/therapies
Of the cancer-related cases, breast cancer ranks #1 for causing secondary lymphedema.
Lymphedema is forever. The symptoms don’t have to be.
There isn’t a cure for lymphedema. Once it strikes, it’s for life.
But that doesn’t mean life is over. Our lymphedema treatment in Sarasota can help you manage the disease with minimally invasive treatment options and therapies. The team of vein specialists at Florida Lakes Vein Center address the swelling and skin issues, plus offer techniques to help an under-functioning lymphatic system drain more readily.
The symptoms of lymphedema often overlap with those of vein disease. Request a free vein screening, followed by a personal consultation. We’ll create a personalized treatment plan to get you back to enjoying all that the Sarasota lifestyle has to offer.
Talk to a Lymphedema Expert
In Sarasota, Lakewood Ranch, North Port, and across the Lakes region, Florida Lakes Vein Center is a leader in vein care. Our team of experts have helped more than 10,000 patients reclaim their quality of life after vein issues, including lymphedema.
Take the first step by contacting us for an appointment, or call 941.777.7771.
About Florida Lakes Vein Center
As leaders in the field, we know how debilitating vein disease can be. Receive care from physicians and specialists dedicated to superior vein health and warm, compassionate patient care.
Visit Florida Lakes Vein Center today—”It’s a No Veiner!”