ABSTRACT

The primary goals of lymphedema therapy include reducing limb girth, alleviating symptoms, and preventing progression. Thus, an understandable degree of discontent and skepticism exists within the health care field regarding the management of lymphedema. Varying combinations of manual therapy are the predominantly utilized interventions to treat both primary and secondary lymphedema. A multifaceted management approach termed complex decongestive therapy (CDT) is considered the international therapeutic “gold standard” for lymphedema by many societies and lymphedema experts. In addition to manual lymphatic drainage, CDT incorporates the application of external compression in the initial management of lymphedema via repetitively applied short-stretch bandages and padding material. Elastic compression garment utilization provides the foundation of the maintenance phase of lymphedema management. Selenium is thought to have beneficial effects that may inhibit soft tissue infection in the setting of lymphedema. Lymphedema due to chronic venous insufficiency or “phlebolymphedema” represents another frequent yet grossly underappreciated risk factor for secondary lymphedema.