Lymphedema:how they occur and how to treat them ?
Written by:Lymphedema is a type of edema that is caused by obstruction of the lymphatic channels in the body.
The lymphatic system is one of the three types of circulation we have in our body along with the veins and arteries. This consists of a small bore duct wall very thin making them transparent to the eye. These are linked to the venous system and lead lymph, a white liquid transparent case containing fats, proteins and a very important part of our defense system. The lecocitos
When there is an increase in volume of a limb lymphatic fluid retention there is a lymphedema. It is caused by the difficulty of lymph drainage, which can not circulate lymph because they are clogged, striped or destroyed by trauma, external compression or surgical resection.
The most frequent are the congenital lymphedema, which are located in the lower limbs and are caused by the decrease in lymph ducts birth, which means that there is, first, a difficulty congenita drainage. Congenital lymphedema usually occur in females from adolescence and, besides being is hereditary and congenital dominantly inherited, so that the incidence in the population is very high ( 2% of women suffer ).
Treatment
It is necessary to treat lymphedema, as this progresses over time, increasing the volume of the limb and progresses to fibrosis of the subcutaneous cellular tissue, hard edema that can not be reduced to skin lesions because of the great stress to which the skin is subjected, with cracks that become infected easily and can cause ulcers of difficult healing. This may even lead to the end in a long evolution of a elephantine disease.
Although not yet achieved a definitive treatment for lymphedema. There are surgical techniques to improve lympho-venous drainage connections and reduce lymphatic pressure and there are also therapeutic techniques aimed at curbing the evolution of the process. The patient will have to follow rigorously the medical treatments, postural measures of sleep and sit with your feet, compression stockings during the day and lymph drainage to stimulate the emptying of lymph.
Presoterapia
A type of mechanical lymphatic drainage type. This is a pneumatic boots that are inflated and deflated sequentially with a pump calibrated air pressure and rate. Today is the most effective technique for treating lymphedema because achieves superior to other therapies results, but should not replace but complement each other.
The presoterapia requires prior training and perseverance. During the first months is necessary to do it every day as there is a significant reduction of lymphedema can go spacing to carry out only twice a week.