Rehabilitation Services
Lymphedema Therapy

Sumner Regional Medical Center is currently one of only a handful in the region that offers lymphedema therapy. Lymphedema is the swelling of a body part, usually an arm or leg, due to the accumulation of a protein-rich fluid in the body that the lymph system cannot properly process. Individuals may be born with lymphedema, or it can be a result of surgery. Many patients are not aware that lymphedema could be a side effect of certain types of surgeries, so some patients endure swelling that could have been treated earlier by trained therapists.

Therapists must complete a certification in Lymphedema Therapy with the Academy of Lymphatic Studies before administering this therapy.

Lymphedema treatment is a two-phase process. In the first stage, the intensive phase, the patient visits a lymphedema therapist every day for two to three weeks (for an upper extremity) or three to four weeks (for a lower extremity). After the therapy, the swollen area is bandaged with a short stretch bandage, which aids with the loss of elasticity of the skin. Measurements of the swollen limb are taken at the end of each visit, and when these measurements begin to stabilize, the second phase of treatment begins.

In the self-maintenance phase the patient is measured for compression garments. Compression garments are more like a sleeve than the bandages patients wear in the first phase of therapy and are easier to manage. The compression garments are worn during the day and taken off at night. This is a life long commitment for controlling the areas affected by lymphedema. Patients will also receive some basic self-treatment training during therapy, in order to care for lymphedema long-term.