Non-surgical treatments
Non-surgical treatment of lymphoedema consists of:
- Reducing the swelling by combining manual lymphatic drainage with a compressive bandage and exercises. Depending on the stage of lymphoedema, this will take from 4 weeks to several months.
- The swelling can be stabilised and improved further by decreasing the lymphatic drainage and switching to elastic arm or leg stockings. This is usually continued indefinitely.
Depending on the stage of your lymphoedema, the most appropriate treatment is initiated depending on the stage of your lymphoedema:
Evaluation and follow-up
When a non-surgical treatment is initiated, the effect is usually evaluated after 6 months. If there is no improvement or if the symptoms worsen, then surgery can be performed. In some cases, surgery is indicated at an earlier stage. That is why it is important to consult a surgeon at an early stage, so that a specific type of treatment can be initiated in time.
Often a non-surgical treatment should be continued (temporarily) after surgery in order to maximise the effect of surgery. So a combination of treatments (surgical and non-surgical) is also possible.