Therapeutic Tape: How it Helps with Lymphoedema
In the United States, around 10 million people suffer from lymphoedema. All survivors of cancer treatment can develop lymphodema, especially breast, neck and survivors of head cancers.
There are many ways to deal with the pain caused by lymphodema, some of which are offered at Shelby County Chiropractic by Dr. James Stapleton DC. We’re committed to creating awareness about the condition and helping relieve symptoms of lymphoedema.
Lymphoedema in Breast Cancer
All breast cancer treatments require some sort of surgical removal. How much tissue is removed depends on several factors, such as tumor size and type, and how far the cancer has spread. When cancer becomes malignant, that’s when it affects the surrounding tissue; the entirety of the affected tissue must be removed.
To prevent the spread of cancer, the cancerous lymph nodes are surgically removed. However, lymph nodes help in draining the fluid from your system. As the lymph nodes are removed, the fluid starts to build up in the tissues and causes swelling—this is known as lymphoedema.
Lymphoedema occurs due to damage to the lymphatic system, and is known to affect only the side that has undergone treatment. The swelling is most likely to develop in one of the limbs. Although it’s a chronic condition with no particular cure yet, it can be managed with early diagnosis and proper care of the affected area.
Symptoms
The swelling is a major symptom to look out for and can vary from unnoticeable changes to prominent change in the limb size.
Lymphoedema that’s caused by cancer treatment may not surface until months or years later.
Therapeutic Tape Therapy
Therapeutic tape therapy, or kinesiology, is a recent treatment method that has gained rapid popularity for relieving symptoms of lymphoedema.
A kinesiology tape is simple to wear and even simpler to apply. You can wear the tape directly over the swollen limb and wear it straight for 5 days. The tape helps with the lymphatic drainage and thus reduces swelling.
The tape works by lifting up the skin and allowing natural drainage of fluids via lymphatic channels. The tape is worn in a fan-like pattern over the swollen area, and stimulates the lymphatic flow through the lymphatic pathways under the tape, toward the end of the tape that’s placed over a lymph duct region.
If you’re suffering from lymphoedema, seek out therapeutic tape therapy to help relieve your symptoms. Get an appointment with Shelby County Chiropractic by Dr. James Stapleton DC. We’re a reputable and reliable chiropractic clinic in Kentucky that can help you manage a number of ailments. Connect with us now!
