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Area of care: Lymphatic drainage

Lymphoedema

In short

Lymphoedema is swelling of a part of the body, most often an arm or a leg, caused by lymph building up in the tissues. It happens when the lymphatic system does not drain this fluid well, for example after cancer treatment that affected the lymph nodes.

  • Page reviewed on October 30, 2026

Common signs

  • Swelling of all or part of an arm or a leg
  • A feeling of heaviness or a dull ache in the limb
  • The limb is harder to move
  • Swelling that no longer goes away, even after a night’s rest
  • Skin that thickens over time
  • Skin infections that keep coming back

When to see a doctor

  • A swollen limb that becomes red, hot and painful
  • Fever, chills or feeling hot then cold, with a swollen limb
  • Swelling that clearly increases at the same time as pain appears
  • Swelling of an arm or a leg that appeared for no known reason

What physiotherapy does

Physiotherapy is part of the care. The aim is to reduce the swelling: manual drainage, where the limb is raised and then massaged to help the fluid drain away, compression bandaging and suitable physical activity. Careful skin care also matters, because a swollen limb gets infected more easily. Established lymphoedema does not go away with treatment, but its main symptoms can usually be controlled.

Techniques used at the practice

Options depending on the assessment: suitable compression bandages or garments, muscle exercises, skin care and monitoring, education in self-management; manual lymphatic drainage if indicated. Compression requires checking the precautions and contraindications beforehand, particularly vascular and cardiac ones.

How the sessions go

Assessment of the history of the swelling, the skin, mobility and the impact on daily functioning; reproducible measurements of the limb. A decongestive phase may come before the maintenance phase. The frequency of sessions and the means of compression are tailored to each person, with medical coordination if necessary.

My pain diaryFill it in every day, show it at your session

Advice

Move regularly, follow the compression instructions and moisturise the skin. Clean and keep an eye on any wound.

Sources

  1. Lymphœdème - Troubles cardiaques et vasculaires - Manuels MSD pour le grand public (new tab)Manuel MSD (version grand public), accessed October 26, 2026
  2. Enflure – C’est quoi un lymphœdème ? (new tab)Inserm, accessed October 26, 2026
  3. Lymphoedema - NHS (new tab)NHS, accessed October 26, 2026

Page reviewed on October 30, 2026

This page is for information and does not replace a consultation. Only a doctor can make a diagnosis.