Lymphoedema Awareness Month
20/03/25Dr Aoife McGarvey
March is Lymphoedema Awareness Month
We would like to share with you some information about lymphoedema provided by the Australasian Lymphology Association and what can help this condition.
What is lymphoedema?
Lymphoedema is a condition where the accumulation of excessive amounts of protein-rich lymph fluid in the tissue results in swelling of one or more regions of the body.
What causes lymphoedema?
Lymphoedema is due to a failure of the lymphatic system and occurs when the demand for lymphatic drainage exceeds the capacity of the lymphatic circulation.
It can be caused by an inherited rare condition called Primary Lymphoedema.
More commonly it is from damage to the lymphatic system, usually from cancer treatment, particularly surgery which involves removal of lymph nodes and radiation therapy. This is called Secondary Lymphoedema.
What does the lymphatic system do?
The lymphatic system is made up of a network of vessels and nodes throughout the body which transport fluid (lymph) from the body tissues back to the bloodstream. The functions of the lymphatic system are to:
maintain the volume and protein concentration of extracellular fluid in the body
to assist the immune system in detecting and destroying pathogens and removing waste products from the tissues.
What can help?
For more information visit www.lymphoedema.org.au
