Can Painkillers Relieve Lymphedema Pain
The most effective treatment for lymphedema pain is to reduce swelling. Usually this helps to ease some of your discomfort. Because everyone is different, your provider can advise you on use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs , like aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen, or non-NSAIDs like acetaminophen. The prescription NSAID ketoprofen has shown promise in some patients in reducing pain and swelling.
Lymphedema treatments and therapy
Your providers may send you to a lymphedema therapist. These trained specialists can get you started on the best ways to keep swelling under control.
The most common treatments include:
Surgical treatments for lymphedema
Surgery is considered if other nonsurgical treatments arent working. Not everyone is a candidate for surgery, but for some people symptoms can be eased with a surgical procedure.
How Do I Manage Lymphedema
While theres no cure for lymphedema, lifestyle changes can help control your discomfort and reduce swelling. Exercising, practicing good hygiene, wearing the right clothing and eating healthy can all help you feel better and more in control of your condition.
General guidelines for exercise
Exercise is one of the best ways to keep fluid moving within your body. Always check with your provider before starting a new exercise program. Your therapist may have special exercises for you depending on the stage of your condition.
- Avoid strenuous exercises involving the affected limb unless you have been given clearance. Youll get specific instructions about the activities that are safe for you.
- To improve cardiovascular fitness, try aerobic activities, like walking, swimming, low-impact aerobics or specially prescribed exercises. Aim for 20 to 30 minutes most days of the week.
- Include a five-minute warm-up, including stretching exercises, before any aerobic activity and include a 5- to 10-minute cool down after the activity.
- If your normal exercise routine includes weightlifting with your arms or even strength training with your legs, check with your doctor or therapist about the best time to resume this activity and ask if there are any weight or movement restrictions.
Avoid infections by practicing good hygiene and skin care
Eat healthy
Medicare Therapy Coverage For Lymphedema
ByPeter Hodges | Submitted On November 25, 2009
Getting Medicare to recognize lymphedema therapy as essential medical expenditure has been a difficult task. Lymphedema patients have been long trying to get the benefit of Medicare for the expenses that they incur for the therapy that continues throughout their life. The Women’s Health and Cancer Rights Act states that complications arising due to breast cancer surgery, which includes lymphedema, must be covered by all insurance providers. However, this coverage does not extend to those who suffer from primary or secondary lymphedema. In February 2008, the compression garments considered an essential part of lymphedema therapy were classified as covered items for Medicare.
In case of compression garments, which can be a large recurring expense, lymphedema sufferers have had to deal with legislatures which prevented their inclusion in Medicare coverage lists. A positive judgment in February 2008 has come to the aid of lymphedema patients. Compression garments were classified as items meeting the standards for covered items. Items like compression bandages, compression sleeves and stockings were considered medically essential and would be covered as prosthetic devices under Medicare for lymphedema therapy. The lymphedema patients can take advantage of this edict and claim a compensation for these medically essential items that help them to manage the lymphedema.
More information on Medicare Therapy can be found here
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Compression Therapy For Arm Lymphedema:
Sit on a chair or couch with your arm propped to breast level. Follow the protocol as described above.
Total Compression Pumps provides excellent customer service and warranty
We have many years of experience dealing with compression devices and getting them authorized for the patients.
We have excellent customer service and are available to help you with your needs.
Our garments can accommodate very large patients. They zip on, not velcro, so they last longer. Pressure setting can be adjusted by the patient as the need for more or less pressure arises.
Depending on which brand of compression pump you get, the warranty is from 1-3 years.
Do you need a prescription for a lymphedema pump?
A prescription from a licensed physician is required to order/purchase a lymphedema pump. Please call us to help you get a prescription from your doctor.
Does Medicare pay for leg compression pumps?
Yes. Most insurances cover 80-100% of the cost, so your out-of-pocket expense can be $0.- $400.00. If you dont have insurance or, if you have a high deductible, we can offer you very good prices, starting at $600.00.
How much does a lymphedema pump cost?
A compression pump and one arm or one leg sleeve can start as low as $600.00 and, depending on your needs and which pump you choose, can cost as much as $3500.00. Of course, insurance usually covers most, if not all, of the cost.
Shipping costs of a lymphedema pump
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Does Medicare Cover Lymphedema Compression Garments
by Admin
Compression garments that are designed for lymphedema treatment include sleeves, stockings, shirts and more.
These compression garments play a major role in providing comfort, reducing swelling and pain for people suffering from lymphedema.
The compression garments also improve blood flow and help to reduce the accumulation of lymphatic fluids, making long-term management of lymphedema possible.
Compression garments are frequently recommended and even prescribed to people with lymphedema and other vein conditions.
But, does Medicare cover lymphedema compression garments?
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How Is Lymphedema Diagnosed And Tested
If you notice any signs of swelling after cancer surgery that involved lymph node removal, contact your healthcare provider right away. At your visit, your provider will do a physical exam to check for swelling.
You may be asked to do imaging tests, which are non-invasive . These can help find problems with your lymphatic system. Imaging tests may include:
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Chronic Venous Insufficiency Pumps
What is Chronic Venous Insufficiency?
Chronic venous insufficiency occurs when your leg veins dont allow blood to flow back up to your heart. Normally, the valves in your veins make sure that blood flows toward your heart. When these valves dont work well, blood can flow backwards. This can cause blood to collect and pool in your legs, causing CVI.
What Is a Sequential Pneumatic Compression Device for
Venous Insufficiency and Cellulitis
There is a widespread consensus in supporting literature that compression therapy is a necessary part of chronic venous insufficiency treatment. This is how the device works.
Compression pumps, along with prescribed antibiotics, treat Cellulitis as well. Cellulitis is a potentially serious bacterial skin infection whereby the affected skin appears swollen and red and is typically painful and warm to the touch. The pump reduces swelling and helps remove the bacterial fluid from the leg or arm which helps improve the condition.
We gladly accept MEDICARE and most other insurances you need more information please call 800 854-0335 or completeCONTACT FORM We carry a variety of Pumps and Sleeves including BIO-COMPRESSION
Compression pumps are lightweight, portable, and easy to use
Lymphedema And The Lymphatic System
The lymphatic system is responsible for filtering out waste products from your body. It filters out cellular debris and transports white blood cells to fight infection throughout the body. When you are sick, it helps filter out toxins, bacteria and viruses.
Lymph is made of proteins, fats, glucose, salts, blood cell fragments and water. The plasma protein molecules in lymph are large. Disruption to the lymphatic system can make filtering out these protein molecules harder. Lymphedema is a protein-rich swelling and bacteria feeds on protein which means a person with lymphedema is more likely to get infections. So avoiding cuts, scrapes or any trauma to the affected region is very important.
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Compression Treatments At Little To No Cost
Now that you have found that compression therapy is a highly effective treatment for your pain and swelling, are you ready for some more great news? Your compression therapy may be yours with nothing paid out of pocket, or at least, very affordable! Most of our compression therapy products are covered by Medicare or most insurance plans. Below is a quick Q and A about payment and reimbursement, but we stand ready to answer any other questions, and we work hard to get you your compression treatment at a reasonable cost if not absolutely free.
Many compression therapy products are covered by Medicare and insurance carriers. Our representatives will be able to determine coverage and answer any questions you may have regarding coverage and patient responsibility.
Please contact us today for a one on one consult by calling us at or contact us.
Vascularized Lymph Node Transfer
Gharb et al reported the outcome of vascularized lymph node transfer with hilar perforators compared with the conventional technique. A total of 21 patients affected by early stage II upper limb lymphedema were included in this study. Of them, 11 patients received a free groin flap containing lymph nodes, and 10 patients received vascularized inguinal lymph nodes with hilar perforators. Mean follow-up was 46 and 40 months, respectively. Complications, secondary procedures, circumference of the limb, and subjective symptomatology were registered. The differences were evaluated statistically. The limb circumferences decreased significantly in the new group. The number of secondary procedures was significantly higher in the standard group. There were 2 cases of partial flap loss and donor site lymphorrhea in the standard group. In both the groups, visual analog scale scores improved after the operation. The authors concluded that transfer of vascularized inguinal lymph nodes based on the hilar perforators improves the outcomes in the treatment of early lymphedema of the upper extremity. Drawback of this study included small sample size and lack of a control group.
An UpToDate review on “Lymphedema: Prevention and treatment” did not mention the use of whole body vibration as a management toll.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Lymphedema What Do They Feel Like
Symptoms of lymphedema may develop slowly over time or they may have a sudden onset. If you are at risk for lymphedema, or have had a history of lymphedema and experience an injury or infection, this could cause a case to occur suddenly.
Signs of lymphedema include:
- Noticeable thickening of the skin.
Early signs of lymphedema
These milder, early signs may happen before you can see any swelling:
- Difficult to see or feel veins and tendons in your hands and feet.
- Skin redness.
- Your arm or leg appears to be of slightly different size.
- Joints feel tight and inflexible.
- Puffiness of the skin.
If you notice these symptoms, especially after cancer treatment, call your healthcare provider. Early treatment is important to keep swelling under control.
Immediate Lymphatic Reconstruction For The Prevention Of Breast Cancer
Cook and colleagues stated that lymphedema affects up to 250 million people worldwide. In patients with breast cancers, lymphedema occurs in 30 % who undergo axillary lymph node dissection . Immediate lymphatic reconstruction , also known as lymphatic microsurgical preventing healing approach , is a method to lower the risk of lymphedema by performing prophylactic lympho-venous anastomoses at the time of ALND. These researchers examined the risk reduction of ILR in preventing lymphedema. They noted that lymphedema has significant effects on the QOL and morbidity of patients. Several techniques have been described to manage lymphedema after development, but prophylactic treatment of lymphedema with ILR may decrease risk of development to 6.6 %. Moreover, these researchers stated that long-term studies are needed to demonstrate the effectiveness of ILR as a prophylactic approach for the management of lymphedema in patients undergoing lymph node dissection.
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Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse Elastography For Measurement Of Tissue Stiffness In Limb Lymphedema
Chan and colleagues examined the feasibility of cutaneous and subcutaneous limb tissue elasticity measurement in patients with limb lymphedema by using acoustic radiation force impulse elastography. From July 2015 to June 2017, ARFI elastography was performed in 64 participants with lymphedema by using a US system. Tissue stiffness quantification with shear-wave velocity was obtained in the cutaneous and subcutaneous limb tissues. Lymphoscintigraphy was the reference standard. SWV was significantly higher in limbs with lymphatic obstruction than in unaffected limbs . SWV was significantly different among limbs without lymphatic drainage obstruction, with partial obstruction, and with total obstruction . By using a cut-off value of 2.10 m/sec and 1.43 m/sec for cutaneous and subcutaneous tissue, respectively, sensitivity was 83.1 % and 80.3 % , and specificity was 86.0 % and 70.2 % for manifestation of lymphatic obstruction. The corresponding areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve were 0.91 and 0.83, respectively. The authors concluded that ARFI elastography showed that cutaneous and subcutaneous tissues were stiffer in lymphedematous limbs than in unaffected limbs they stated that ARFI elastography is a feasible imaging modality for non-invasive tissue stiffness quantification in limb lymphedema. These preliminary findings need to be further investigated.
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Get Your Lymphedema Pump Today
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How To Get Approved For Your Lymphedema Pump
Our specialist will send you an intake package with a set of paperwork needed to start the process of getting a compression pump/sleeves.
As soon as we receive the intake information completed, within 24 hours, we will have the insurance required paperwork sent to the doctors office and start an insurance authorization.
We will contact your doctor directly to get the required forms so you can get your compression pump covered by insurance.
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We gladly accept MEDICARE and most other insurances. If you need more information please call 800 854-0335 or completeCONTACT FORM.
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Genetic Testing For Predisposition To Lymphedema Following Breast Cancer Therapy
Visser and colleagues noted that secondary lymphedema is a complication following breast cancer therapy and constitutes the main form of lymphedema in the Western countries. These researchers provided an overview of the genetic predisposition and secondary lymphedema. They carried out a systematic search between February and June 2017 in Medline and Embase. Search terms included Genes, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Lymphedema, Breast Cancer Lymphedema, Secondary Lymphedema, Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema, and Humans. Only original articles regarding the possible relationship between genetic variation and the development of secondary lymphedema in humans were included in this review. A total of 459 records were collected. After removal of duplicates, non-topic-related publications, and records not presenting original data, 6 full-text studies were included. Associations between genetic factors and the development of secondary lymphedema were found for variations in HGF, MET, GJC2, IL1A, IL4, IL6, IL10, IL13, VEGF-C, NFKB2, LCP-2, NRP-2, SYK, VCAM1, FOXC2, VEGFR2, VEGFR3, and RORC. The authors concluded that in patients with secondary lymphedema following breast cancer therapy, genetic variations were found in 18 genes. These researchers stated that these compelling, although preliminary, findings may suggest a possible role for genetic predisposition in the development of lymphedema following breast cancer therapy.
Acupuncture For Breast Cancer
Yu and co-workers performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of published RCTs to evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture in the prevention of BCRL. Searching strategies were performed with the following keywords: “Breast cancer”, “Acupuncture”, “neoplasm” and “lymphoedema” with derivations and different combinations of these keywords. The following databases were searched: PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Web of Science, CNKI, WanFang, and CBM. Studies published in English and Chinese were considered for inclusion in this study. Study selection, risk of bias assessment and data extraction were independently conducted. Statistical analyses were conducted with RevMan software . A total of 8 studies were identified by the search strategy, and 519 patients were included in this study. The effective rate was higher in the experimental group than that in the control group. There were no significant improvements in the front flexion or the back extension movements of the shoulder between the experimental and control groups. The authors concluded that acupuncture may be an effective method for improving the condition of BCRL. However, due to the high risk of bias and the low quality of the available studies, further high-quality RCTs are needed to confirm the efficacy of acupuncture for patients with BCRL.
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