When we first feel sick, one of the first things we do is to feel around for any tender swellings or bumps in our neck. A swollen lymph node is a sure sign that you might be coming down with something, but also that your body’s immune system is working properly.
The average adult body has a staggering 600 to 800 lymph nodes. Lymph is the clear, watery fluid that bathes our cells and tissues, collects waste and works to help the body fight infection; lymph nodes filter lymph and trap foreign substances like bacteria, returning clean lymph to the bloodstream. But should the lymphatic system break down, a condition called lymphedema may occur, which can be painful and difficult to manage.
Lymphedema causes swelling (edema) in the soft tissue due to a buildup of lymph. This typically happens in the arms or legs, usually occurring only on one side. Lymphedema may be caused by a congenital issue, but is more likely a result of damage to the lymphatic system from surgery, radiation, infection or trauma.
Paige Sims, physical therapist and owner of Restore PT in Edmond, has focused her career on the treatment and rehabilitation of those with or recovering from breast cancer, many of whom struggle with lymphedema after having lymph nodes surgically removed. Sims is a certified breast cancer specialist who trained at the Physiological Oncology Rehabilitation Institute (PORi) in Colorado, and her clinic is recognized as a PORi Center of Excellence.
She explained how she treats her patients who suffer from lymphedema: “I first work to release any muscle spasms that may be pressing on the lymphatic system. After the spasm has subsided, I perform manual lymphatic drainage, which is physically pushing the lymph toward drainage areas and assisting with pumping the lymph nodes. I am trying to get the body to be more efficient in using the lymph nodes that are still intact and working.”
Sims noted that this process is the same wherever someone may be experiencing lymphedema. “With manual lymphatic drainage, we are always pushing the fluid in the direction of the heart. I always make sure to also clear the average 150 lymph nodes in the abdomen as well, so the fluid does not pool and become stagnant.”
She also clarified that symptoms of lymphedema may not be as obvious as one would think. “People think lymphedema means your extremity has ballooned up, but symptoms may be heaviness, achiness or tingling in the arm, breast or trunk. If your right arm feels different than your left, that is a lymphatic symptom,” she said. In addition to physical therapy, patients may benefit from a compression garment or a lymphatic pump. The relief patients experience following a treatment varies, but continues to improve with regular visits.
Sims said that there are only three ways to move lymphatic fluid, with manual therapy being one. “It is important to perform deep breathing exercises, to assist the abdominal lymph nodes and maintain movement with regular exercise.” Each PT visit includes all three strategies to decrease lymphedema.
Sims encouraged anyone dealing with edema to ask for a referral to physical therapy. “Any swelling or edema can be treated with lymphatic drainage,” she said. “It also helps those diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder. Their lymphatic systems get overloaded and sluggish from high cortisol levels, and flushing the system helps with improving their energy level. Any survivor of cancer should also automatically be seen by PT.”
