In recognition and support of Lymphoedema Awareness Week, AHPScot is re-blogging this post from Lymphoedema Specialist Connie Le Maitre. For more information on Lymphoedema follow the links within the blog, take a look at the British Lymphology Society Website: https://thebls.com/pages/law and follow #LAW2018 and #LymphoedemaAwareness on social media.
by Connie Le Maitre
Always keen to promote the awareness of lymphoedema, I volunteered to write my first blog.
Lymphoedema is a swelling caused by damage to the lymphatics. It can be primary (congenital) or secondary, most often as a result of cancer treatments. The prevalence of lymphoedema has been estimated as 2:2000, but this increases to 5.4 per 1000 in the over 65’s (Ref: http://www.soffed.co.uk/slpn/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Physiotherapy-Works-Lymphoedema.pdf).
As the lymphoedema lead for NHS Ayrshire and Arran I have been involved with lymphoedema on a national level; as a lymphoedema specialist physiotherapist I deal with lymphoedema on an individual basis. I would like to tell you a little bit more about both of these roles.
At a National level there has been a lot of work put in towards recommendations for lymphoedema care in Scotland. These recommendations were set the Scottish Medical and Scientific Advisory Committee (SMASAC) Short Life Working Group…
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