Toronto Physiotherapy Promotes Awareness, Education, and Treatment of Chronic Swelling Called Lymphedema

Online, February 9, 2011 (Newswire.com) - Lymphedema is a serious condition caused by a failure of the lymphatic system to maintain the proper balance of fluid in an affected tissue. The resultant accumulation of lymphatic fluid, usually in an arm or leg, can be painful, disabling, and disfiguring. In extreme cases, Lymphedema can lead to serious infection or even a rare form of cancer called lymphangiosarcoma. Lymphedema frequently arises in cancer patients (in particular breast cancer) following surgical lymph node removal or radiation treatment, but can also occur congenitally. Although Lymphedema is a chronic disease, with proper symptom management and prevention individuals with Lymphedema can enjoy a normal and active lifestyle.

Unfortunately, many individuals with Lymphedema are unaware of simple self-management practices, or the availability of effective tools to combat the disease including compression garments and manual lymphatic drainage therapy. "To further compound this problem, proper Lymphedema education and therapy is often unavailable or too costly for individuals with limited financial resources" says Clinic Director Lindsay Davey, "as a consequence, patients with Lymphedema tend to withdraw from normal activities due to discomfort, physical restrictions, or embarrassment".

To combat the lack of awareness and treatment of Lymphedema, Toronto Physiotherapy is developing educational tools including online resources and self-management video (http://www.torontophysiotherapy.ca/services/toronto_lymphedema_treatment.html), as well as offering Certified Lymphedema Physiotherapy services including a complimentary service for individuals with limited financial resources.

To assist low-income individuals, Toronto Physiotherapy provides a complimentary assessment of the patient's Lymphedema case history, as well as education on effective self-management techniques and other treatment options available including the suitability of compression garments. Toronto Physiotherapy is also a Certified Compression Garment Authorizer through the Government of Ontario's Assistive Devices Program (ADP), and can recommend and authorize therapeutic garments to Lymphedema patients so that they can access the ADP subsidization.