Lymphoedema: Symptom and Causes

Symptoms

  • Swelling of the arms, legs or trunk on the affected side of the body
  • Feeling of heaviness or discomfort in the hand, arm, chest or legs          
  • Loss of flexibility in the hand, wrist or ankle
  • Difficulty fitting into your clothes
  • “Bursting” or “shooting” pain sensations, or pins and needles
  • Tightness of rings, watch or bracelet
  • Infections that won’t go away or keep coming back in the same area
  • Changes in skin texture such as tightness, redness, or hardening 
  • Rash, itching, redness, pain, or warmth of the skin 
  • Fever or flu-like symptoms
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Loss of hair

Causes

Causes of lymphedema include
  • Infection
  • Cancer
  • Scar tissue from radiation therapy or surgical removal of lymph nodes
  • Inherited conditions in which lymph nodes or vessels are absent or abnormal





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