Lymphatic edema of the extremities: treatment

With the edema of the feet and hands, at least once in life, every person came across. Excessive stress, uncomfortable or new shoes - all this can lead to temporary "swelling" of the limbs. Usually such symptoms do not last longer than 12 hours. Another thing is if the feet are constantly in a swollen condition. In this case, it is already a pathological lymphatic edema - lymphostasis.

What is a malaise?

Lymphostasis is an overabundance of fluid that accumulates in the tissues of the subcutaneous tissue and is not excreted in normal mode (no outflow occurs). Edema can appear on both the lower and upper limbs, but most often the legs are affected.

Lymphostasis belongs to the category of progressing sluggish diseases. Nevertheless, this does not mean that when an edema appears, it must be ignored. If lymphatic vessels are affected, it will cause minimal harm to the body, but in case of problems in large ducts, tissues will begin to deform. In neglected cases, doctors diagnose developing lymphodema in patients (this ailment requires more complicated treatment).

Lymphatic edema of the hand is extremely rare, and usually it affects the fair sex at the age of 35 years.

Causes

Most often, lymphostasis develops against a background of varicose veins, thrombophlebitis, thrombosis and trophic ulcers. Also, pathology is diagnosed in the elderly and in those who lead a sedentary, sedentary lifestyle. Lymphatic edema of the feet often occurs in people with disabilities. Also, this disease can lead to a long bed rest and broken blood circulation.

In addition, people at risk are those who suffer from:

• Congenital insufficiency of lymphatic vessels;
• Cancerous tumors;
• Heart failure;
• Injuries and burns of the upper and lower extremities;
• Venous insufficiency of a chronic type;
• Arterial and venous fistulas;
• Streptococcal lesions;
• Inflammation of the skin of the hands and feet;
• Serious pathologies of the kidneys;
• Disruptions in the endocrine system.

In addition, lymphatic swelling of the extremities can develop due to radiation therapy sessions.

Lymphostasis of the hands is most often manifested after surgery. This ailment is found mainly in women who underwent surgery to remove a part of the pectoral muscles.

Symptoms and stages of development

There are 3 degrees of manifestation of lymphostasis:

1. Reversible spontaneous edema (lymphedema). This is the easiest stage of the disease, which manifests itself in the form of regular foot swelling in the evening. As a rule, all symptoms pass after a night rest. Edemas of this type are well marked and usually appear after heavy physical exertion on the limbs. The swollen place is easily palpable. At the initial stage of development, the ailment is treated with conservative methods and does not have a destructive effect on the body.
2. Irreversible spontaneous edema (fibriderma). The middle stage of lymphostasis is characterized by hardening of the skin. This is due to the growth of connective tissue. Such edema is easily visible to the naked eye. They are very hard, when pressed on the inflamed area the patient feels severe pain due to stretched skin. Swelling of this type is considered to be neglected. He does not disappear after rest. Because of the frozen in the vessels of the bodice, new symptoms begin to develop - convulsions and fast fatigue of the affected limb.
3. Irreversible edema (elephantiasis). This stage of lymphostasis is the most severe. Because of severe tissue damage, the limb is deformed, heavier and becomes practically immobile. The outflow of lymph is completely disturbed. In diseased tissues, foci of fibrocystic lesions appear. Elephantism does not respond to treatment and in some cases leads to death.

Whether lymphostasis is dangerous

The initial stages of the disease do not pose a high risk. However, it must be borne in mind that lymphatic edema affects the quality of life of the patient. Affected limbs are quite painful, coma of this, against the background of the disease develop infectious diseases. If the skin on the swollen leg breaks, then through the wound in the body can enter dangerous bacteria that lead to a whole "bouquet" of new ailments.

When there is a protracted swelling, you need to see a doctor as soon as possible.

Diagnostics

First of all, the doctor examines the limb with lymphatic edema and determines the stage of development of pathology. After that, a number of diagnostic measures are appointed, which allow more accurate determination of the degree of tissue damage, inflammatory foci and possible complications:

• Urine and blood tests;
• Scanning of veins;
• Ultrasound;
• Lymphography.

In some cases, CT or MRI is performed. Based on the data obtained, the doctor prescribes a course of medicinal preparations and procedures.

Lymphatic edema: treatment

In order to cure the disease, it is necessary to restore the outflow of lymph from the limbs. Most often, edemas are removed by a non-surgical method, by compression therapy, massage and medication. At more advanced stages, surgical intervention is required - reconstruction of the lymph drainage pathways.

Regardless of the degree of the disease, the patient should regularly visit the angio-surgeon and treat the diseases of the kidneys, heart and venous vessels on time.

Preparations

From lymphatic edema of the legs, there are many different medications that can be both aggressive and more conservative. To restore normal circulation of lymph, reduce the permeability of vessels and increase their elasticity, it is recommended to take the following tablets:

• "Troxevasin" and "Detralex" are phlebotrophic drugs that stimulate the outflow of excess fluid from the blood and tissues.

• "Wobenzym" and "Flobenzim" - belong to the category of enzyme preparations, which increase immunity and reduce swelling.
• "Kumarin" is a benzopyron, which reduces puffiness and dilutes blood.
• "Lymphomyazot" is a homeopathic remedy that restores fluid outflow. Also, when it is taken, the elimination of toxins from human blood is accelerated. This drug is considered the most harmless. It can be safely taken for treatment of lymphatic edema of the legs of elderly people and pregnant women.

In addition to these drugs, doctors prescribe diuretics, antiaggregants and immunomodulators. It is not superfluous to start taking vitamin complexes (P, PP and E), which reduce vascular permeability.

Doctors do not oppose folk remedies for swelling if they are taken together with a prescribed course of treatment.

ethnoscience

In order to remove lymphatic edema at home, you can prepare simple decoctions and apply compresses. Here are some effective recipes:

• Compress from honey and onions. To make it, you need to grind one onion and add 1 tablespoon of tar to the resulting mass. After that, a little honey is poured into the mixture. This compress should be applied at night.
• Honey-garlic tincture. To make it, you need to grind 250 g of garlic. After this, the resulting mass is mixed with 300 ml of liquid honey and infused in a dark cool place for 7 days. Take infusion should be once a day before meals for 1 tablespoon. The course of treatment is 2 months.
• Decoction of plantain. For its preparation, it is necessary to brew 1 teaspoon of grass with a glass of boiling water. The course of treatment is 2 months. A decoction of 70 ml is taken daily before meals.
• Royal jelly. From this natural product you can make compresses or drink it in its pure form. If you mix in equal proportions royal jelly and honey, this will enhance the effectiveness of the product.

If the legs are constantly swelling in the evenings, it is recommended to make trays with a turn. 6 spoons of dry herbs are added in 2-3 liters of boiling water. After that you need to wait until the liquid cools down a bit, and the string swells. When the water temperature drops a little, you need to lower the swollen foot in the bath for 20 minutes. Perform such procedures can be 3 times a day, but not more than 3 weeks.

Physiotherapy

In addition to drugs and traditional medicine, lymphatic edema is well assisted by physiotherapy procedures, which include:

• Massages;
• Compression bandages;
• Exercise therapy.

Massage procedures - this is one of the most effective methods that will get rid of discomfort. To perform this procedure, it is not necessary to visit cosmetology or medical centers. You can remove a small swelling at home. For this, it is necessary to rhythmically massage the skin of the swollen area. Movements should be smooth, no more than 12 clicks per minute. It is often not recommended to perform massage. Limbs should be massaged no more than 1 hour a day.

However, one should not get involved in self-medication, since any unpleasant symptoms can be signs of more dangerous diseases. Therefore, it is worth consulting with a doctor and to clarify whether this pathology is dangerous.