How do you diagnose lymphedema

Your medical history and the examination of your affected limb are often enough for the diagnosis of lymphedema. Your HCP may need further information, for example when you have other diseases that can cause swelling or in the very early stages of lymphedema.

Several diagnostic tools can be useful in such a case:. An early diagnosis of lymphedema is important for effective treatment and to prevent progression of your lymphedema. Be aware of your body and stay in contact with your HCP when you notice any changes or new signs and symptoms. Find the right HCP here. Join Login. What Is Lymphedema? What Is Lipedema? Who makes the diagnosis of lymphedema? How is lymphedema diagnosed? Basic diagnostics Your medical history and the physical exam of your body are the main elements in the diagnosis of lymphedema.

Here are some typical questions that your HCP will ask you: When did you first notice any signs or symptoms? Do your swellings improve overnight? The findings, reported Dec. Lymphedema is an often-painful inflammatory condition resulting from the blockage of lymphatic vessels that ordinarily drain fluid from the tissues throughout the body. In the developed world, lymphedema most often arises as an unintended consequence of radiation therapy for cancer.

Numerous other factors, including parasitic infections endemic in some developing countries, can cause it as well, he said. The blunting of normal immune-cell flow due to lymphatic-vessel blockage helps to trigger the buildup of fluid within the affected area of the body, along with thickening of the skin, profound inflammation, accumulation of fibrous tissue, excessive blood-vessel formation and a marked expansion of the fatty layer beneath the skin.

By the time the main symptom — swelling of one or more limbs — is detectable, the condition may have gotten such a foothold that it becomes difficult or impossible to reverse, at least given current treatment options, Rockson said.

The only known way to diagnose lymphedema now is via physical inspection, and all too often it is misdiagnosed or overlooked altogether. But the biological events underpinning this condition may be present five years or more before symptoms become evident, said Rockson.

Moreover, there are no effective drugs for combating lymphedema, just costly, time-consuming and annoying physical therapy, which virtually never completely eliminates the symptoms. View information for Guest Services ». Access your health information from any device with MyHealth. You can message your clinic, view lab results, schedule an appointment, and pay your bill.

Lymphedema is a painful, chronic condition that causes parts of the body to swell with fluid. Most people with lymphedema develop it after damage to their lymphatic system from lifesaving cancer treatment. At Stanford, our experienced, compassionate doctors and other care providers help you manage lymphedema and avoid complications. We offer leading-edge therapies, clinical trials, and surgical options to help you live your best quality of life.

Our specialists will tailor a plan to your needs. Although there is no cure for lymphedema, treatment to manage the condition improves symptoms. Your personalized plan may consist of one or a combination of treatments including massage therapy, medication, clinical trials, and surgery.

Should your condition not respond to first-line therapies, you may be a good candidate for surgery. As the only surgical lymphedema treatment center in the Bay Area, we use the latest scientific advances. In fact, Stanford is the only lymphedema treatment center in the U. We use the lymphedema staging classification developed by the International Society of Lymphology. In early-stage lymphedema Stages 0—2 , the condition may be reversible if caught and treated early.

The earlier you get medical intervention, the better the outcome will be. We pass a safe, low-level electrical current through the limb and compare the amount of fluid to other areas of the body to determine if lymphedema is present.

Our doctors usually begin treatment for early-stage lymphedema with nonsurgical options that include:. If nonsurgical treatments do not provide the desired results, we will discuss the surgical options with you, including:.

In Stage 3, the affected area becomes very large and swollen, and the skin develops a leathery appearance. At this stage, fluid and thick, fibrous tissue have accumulated, and fungal infections of the skin and nails may be common. The first step in treating advanced-stage lymphedema is to restore function to the limb by reducing its size through debulking or liposuction.

After your recovery from one of these procedures, you may be a candidate for other treatments, such as lymph node transfer or lymphovenous bypass. These options can help reduce symptoms for the long term and give you a better quality of life. Depending on where the lymphedema is located, we may need to remove tissue and fluid through surgery.

At Stanford, we save as much of your skin and tissue as possible and use skin grafts from other parts of the body, if necessary. In this outpatient procedure, we insert a small vacuum-like tool through the skin of the limb with lymphedema to remove extra fluid and tissue. This procedure is less invasive than traditional debulking and offers a shorter recovery time and less scarring.

Liposuction reduces the size of your limb but does not cure lymphedema. You will have to wear a compression garment consistently to prevent future fluid and tissue buildup. At Stanford, we continuously have clinical trials for new drugs, treatments, and surgical procedures that may reduce the effects of lymphedema.

We are the leading site of a groundbreaking National Institutes of Health NIH -funded clinical trial on the use of lymph node transfer with BioBridge, a bioengineered nanofibrillar collagen scaffold that helps to regenerate lymphatic vessels.

Open trials refer to studies currently recruiting participants or that may recruit participants in the near future. Closed trials are not currently enrolling, but similar studies may open in the future. Your doctor can usually diagnose lymphedema by evaluating your symptoms, and we may use diagnostic tests to confirm it.