Physical Therapy for Lymphedema

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In a message dated 1/29/2007 8:15:24 AM Central Standard Time,

mizzes12@... writes:

> with all lymph nodes removed on one side and my surgeon has lined me up

> with a physical therapist who specializes in lymphedema to teach me how to

ward

> it off or deal with it should I get it.

>

About 3 months after chemo my upper chest into the shoulder area would puff

up and a little rubbing on it would make it go down a bit. My Onc saw it and

said I needed to go to a lymphadema specialist. (physical therapist)

After 3 sessions I was talking to her about my " range " of motion saying how

even though I tried the pushing against the wall exercises my arm absolutley

would not stretch enough to give me the correct range of motion.

She raised my arm as far as it would go then put her thumbs in the middle of

my underarm and pushed in really hard. The noise that came from my arm was

like a big SPLAT!

She said she broke up the scar tissue. After that with a little more arm

exercise (arm raised against the wall excerise) I had really good range and it

feels almost normal.

So, if you have that problem and they haven't done that weird maneuver on you

ask them to do it. I could not believe the difference it made.

It hurt while she was performing the maneuver but felt good afterward, and

since. No problem whatsoever.

love & hugs,

Dari