Signs and symptoms vary from person to person and develop at different rates. People with lymphoedema may describe any of the following:
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Shoes / clothes/ jewellery becoming tight
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Feeling of tightness, skin stretching and heaviness in the affected area
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Swelling that does not go away after sleeping in bed overnight
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Spontaneous skin blisters leaking clear fluid
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Skin infections
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Constant / intermittent dull ache / pain
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Fungal infections
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Skin becomes very dry
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Reduced movements of the joints
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Fatigue often sets in
Lymphoedema is not a widely recognised condition and can be difficult to diagnose if it’s not particularly related to cancer treatment. The assessing practitioner should take a detailed medical history, noting the symptoms the person reports and take note of the physical signs present.
All people suffering with lymphoedema should have access to a lymphoedema specialist for management of their condition.
