Treatment

There's no cure for lymphedema. Treatment focuses on reducing the swelling and preventing complications.

Medications

Lymphedema greatly increases the risk of skin infections (cellulitis). Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics for you to keep on hand so that you can start taking them immediately once symptoms appear.

Therapy

Specialized lymphedema therapists can teach you about techniques and equipment that can help reduce lymphedema swelling. Examples include:

• Exercises. Gentle contraction of the muscles in the arm or leg can help move the excess fluid out of the swollen limb.
• Manual lymph drainage. Therapists trained in this massage-like technique use very light pressure to move the trapped fluid in the swollen limb toward an area with working lymph vessels. People should avoid manual lymph drainage if they have a skin infection, blood clots or active cancer in the affected limb.
• Compression bandages. Using low-stretch bandages to wrap the entire limb encourages lymph fluid to flow back toward the trunk of the body.
• Compression garments. Close-fitting elastic sleeves or stockings can compress the arm or leg to encourage lymph fluid drainage. These garments often require a prescription to ensure that the proper amount of compression is used. You may need to be measured by a professional to ensure proper fit.
• Sequential pneumatic compression. A sleeve worn over the affected arm or leg connects to a pump that intermittently inflates the sleeve, putting pressure on the limb and moving lymph fluid away from the fingers or toes.

Surgical and other procedures

Surgical treatment for lymphedema may include:

• Lymph node transplant. Lymph nodes are taken from a different area of the body and then attached to the network of lymph vessels in the affected limb. Many people with early-stage lymphedema see good results from this surgery and can decrease the amount of compression needed.
• New drainage paths. Another option for early-stage lymphedema, this procedure creates new connections between the lymph network and blood vessels. The excess lymph fluid is then removed from the limb via blood vessels.
• Removal of fibrous tissue. In severe lymphedema, the soft tissues in the limb become fibrous and hardened. Removing some of this hardened tissue, often through liposuction, can improve the limb's function. In very severe cases, hardened tissue and skin may be removed with a scalpel.