TCM treatment of lower limb lymphedema

Many people often suffer from calf swelling, and most people's calf edema is caused by long-term sitting without timely exercise. However, some people's calf edema is caused by lower limb diseases, one of which is called lower limb lymphedema, which can also cause calf edema in the human body. So how do they treat lower limb lymphedema in traditional Chinese medicine?

1. How does TCM treat lower limb lymphedema?

Traditional Chinese medicine believes that lymphedema is caused by people with weak blood and qi being affected by rheumatism, or by the body suffering from blood stasis and heat, which blocks the qi and blood, causing the dampness and heat to interact with each other, injuring the spleen and kidneys, causing water to lose its normal path; it stagnates between the skin and flesh, overflows and accumulates, causing swelling. If pathogenic factors accumulate for a long time, body fluids cannot be circulated, vital energy is damaged, qi mechanism is disordered, blood stasis and qi deficiency occur, and the knots increase and interact with each other, then the skin will become rough and hard. In treatment, it is mainly divided into syndrome differentiation and treatment according to the following types: water stagnation in the collaterals, damp-heat in the collaterals, and blood stasis in the collaterals.

2. What is lymphedema?

Lymphedema is swelling caused by a blockage in the flow of lymph to a part of the body. It is due to an increase in interstitial fluid secondary to tissue fluid (lymph) accumulation. The lower extremities are most commonly affected (80%), but may also occur on the upper extremities, face, trunk, and external genitalia.

3. Treatment principles of lymphedema

The treatment principles for lymphedema vary depending on the course of the disease. In the early stage, the purpose is to eliminate stagnant lymph fluid and prevent the regeneration of lymphatic effusion. In the late stage, the purpose is to surgically remove irreversible diseased tissue or use shunt surgery to treat localized lymphatic obstruction. Surgical treatment is not recommended due to high risk and recurrence rate. Currently, the cell tissue repair and meridian unblocking method can solve the risks of surgery. It uses traditional Chinese medicine to treat lymphedema, and it is very effective in treating lymphedema.

4. Causes and treatments of lymphedema

Most of them are caused by lymphatic dysplasia, and a few are caused by abnormal proliferation and expansion of lymphatic vessels. Streptococcal infection, radiation therapy for cancer, and lymph node dissection are also major causes of lymphedema. In mild cases, non-surgical treatments include elevating the affected limb, wearing elastic stockings, restricting water and salt intake, using diuretics, preventing infection, and bandage therapy. If necessary, surgical treatment is required.