11/12/2025
๐๐ฎ๐ข๐ฅ๐๐๐๐๐ข๐ - ๐๐๐ง๐ฉ 1
Letโs talk about Lymphedemaโฆ.
This is abnormal swelling of body parts (usually the feet/legs) due to poor functioning Lymphatic vessels. This could be due to complete absence or poor formation (hypoplasia) , or due to an infection, or following certain treatments ( Surgery/Radiotherapy etc). The onset can be in early childhood, around teenage years or in adulthood.
Why is this an issue? Itโs is estimated that up to ๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ฉ๐๐จ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ฅ๐๐ฐ๐ข๐๐ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฏ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ฒ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ก๐๐๐๐ฆ๐. In the US alone, about 10 million people are living with this condition, more than HIV in the US. One might assume the lymphatic system is not significant, when compared to arteries and veins, till they become blocked. Letโs just say they are channels that work in the background to return excess fluid from the limbs to the general circulation. Once the fluid accumulates in tissues , it leads to a reaction called fibrosis. This constitutes an advanced stage where the edema becomes irreversible.
Our weekly clinic always has as least 1-2 lymphedema patients on follow up. In the next part, we will discuss some of the treatments available.
Have you ever heard about lymphedema? ๐๐จ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ค๐ง๐จ๐ฐ ๐๐ง๐ฒ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฏ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ฒ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ก๐๐๐๐ฆ๐?
