Lymphedema is a certain type of leg swelling. It is usually chronic and painless. But still, some patients who have lymphedema leg swelling will complain of lymphedema leg pain by the end of the day.
What is Lymphedema?
There are many reasons for leg swelling, and lymphedema is one of them. Lymphedema happens when the lymphatics do not work normally. This happens either because the lymphatics are underdeveloped, or because they are damaged. If lymphedema develops suddenly in an older person, we must think about cancer. Cancer can damage the lymphatics and cause sudden lymphedema.
Lymphedema progresses slowly. This means that at first it causes a small amount of swelling. This first swelling might improve with elevation and become worse over the day. But as time goes one lymphedema might become worse. There will often be more swelling and at some point the swelling will become fixed. It will not improve with elevation.
As time goes on there will also be skin and toenail changes. The skin will become thick and scaly. And the toes will become distorted.
Cause of Lymphedema Leg Pain
The simple answer is that heavy legs are hard to carry around all day. So the most common cause of lymphedema leg pain will be stress on the joints and muscles and too much pressure in the legs. The aches and pains grow over the day. By the end of the day patients with significant lymphedema might experience night leg pain.
But other than swelling, the main complication of lymphedema is infection. Our lymphatic system protects us from infection. So when the lymphatics are not working properly, there is more chance for infection to occur. This infection will usually start at the skin. A skin infection is called cellulitis. But because there is little to prevent the infection from spreading, it can progress rapidly and into the deeper tissue of the legs.
The signs of infection include redness, fever and pain. So severe pain in a leg with lymphedema can be the first sign of infection.
Lymphedema Leg Pain Solutions
There is no way to truly cure lymphedema. Attempts to implant lymphatics or cause them to grow have failed. So the current treatment for this condition is limited. We can target the swelling and we can try to prevent complications.
There are two components to treating the swelling. First, there are compression stockings. Compression stockings will not cure the cause for the swelling. But they might help prevent fluid from accumulating over the course of a day. People who wear compression stockings might feel relief from heavy legs. In lymphedema, we usually recommend tighter compression stockings compared to venous insufficiency. A typical value for the compression would be 30-40 mmHg.
The second treatment for swelling is to remove fluid actively. This is done with a special massage called manual lymphatic drainage or with the use of a lymphedema pump. Removing fluid is not always successful. Sometimes, the lymphedema is too far along and the fluid is trapped under the skin and cannot be removed. But usually we can improve the swelling by at least some.
Another important component of treatment is to avoid infection. The most common ways for infection to enter the skin in lymphedema are through the toenails or because of a skin break. So careful toenail trimming and excellent skin care are very important.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
One important tip is that diuretics do not work for lymphedema leg pain. Diuretics are water pills. They remove fluid when there is too much of it in the body. But in lymphedema the problem is different. Also, lymphedema is different than lipedema. So while lymphedema leg pain is often similar to lipedema leg pain, treatment is different. For example, lipedema will not respond to compression. But lymphedema often will.
About Author
