A Beginners Guide to Use Compression Sleeves for Lymphedema

Breast cancer related lymphoma (LE) is one of the major long-term complications after surgery. It is a chronic progressive condition characterized by swelling in the arm and adjacent trunk, along with changes to the skin and underlying tissues. Therefore, wearing compression sleeves for lymphedema helps you get long-term management of the condition.

Stages of lymphedema 

Lymphedema is the abnormal swelling that occurs in the arm, breast, hand, or torso as a side-effect of breast cancer surgery, radiation therapy, or both. You will start noticing the symptoms of lymphedema after few months or even years after your treatment ends.

• Stage 1: in this stage, the arms swell and feel heavy. In addition, pressing on your arm will leave a dent.
• Stage 2: in this stage, the arm swells and feels very hard. In addition, pressing on the arm does not leave any dents.
• Stage 3: this stage is also known as lymphostatic elephantiasis. Here, the arms may be quite larger than normal. This stage rarely arises in people with breast cancer.

Lymphedema from breast cancer 

There are various compression sleeves for lymphedema that comes in a tube-shaped elasticized garment. A person can wear these compression sleeves on their arm. Consequently, putting the pressure on the arm keeps the lymph flowing through the lymphatic system. It is particularly designed to prevent the condition from worsening.

Highlights of a quality compression sleeve

• Cover the swollen section of your body.
• Allow a range of motion.
• Supportive but not overly restrictive.
• Provides snug-fitting against your body.

Best time to wear lymphedema sleeves

While some people only need to wear a compression sleeve when they have lymphedema flare-ups, whole others need to wear it every day. According to a 2019 study, it has been found that a light compression sleeve for people with breast cancer for 2 years following breast surgery reduced the risk of lymphedema and led to an improved quality of life.

You can wear these compression sleeves daily. Although it is necessary to wear it overnight, it’s important to get separate sleeves for daytime and nighttime use.

Daytime sleeves

• The daytime compression sleeves fit snugly on the arm from the wrist to the shoulder.
• They are considered tighter at the bottom than at the top.
• The tightness of the sleeves helps lymph flow up the arm to the lymph nodes in the armpit.
• You can purchase these lymphedema sleeves in a wide range of colors, along with different skin tones and prints.

Nighttime sleeves 

• To control the symptoms of lymphedema accurately, most people wear a sleeve at night.
• The nighttime sleeves are considered bulkier as they are made using foam or padding.
• They have adjustable straps on the outside to apply and reduce pressure.
• Although it is slightly looser than the daytime sleeves, it provides consistent pressure along the arm.

Categories of compression sleeves for lymphedema 

• Class 1 sleeves use 20 to 30 mm Hg of pressure on the arm.
• Class 2 sleeves use 30 to 40 mm Hg of pressure.
• Class 3 and 4 sleeves are custom order levels, and they use 40 to 50 and 50 to 60 mm Hg of pressure.

How tight the lymphedema sleeves should be?

The arm compression sleeves for lymphedema should be tight enough to encourage the flow of lymph up toward the shoulder but should not be too tight to cause numbness or tingling. However, a poor-fitting sleeve may worsen the symptoms of lymphedema. It’s better to work with a reputed dealer to purchase the best compression sleeve. In addition, you need to ensure that the sleeve is not too tight in areas such as the wrist or elbow.

You should know that the compression sleeves and garments lose their stretchiness over time. Therefore, replace it every 3 to 6 months. While using these sleeves, you need to avoid wearing moisturizer on your arm and hand when you wear your sleeve.

Note: if you experience numbness or tingling, the sleeves are probably too tight. The sleeves should be comfortable and need to cover the entire area where you experience swelling. 

According to the National Lymphedema Network’s Position Statement on Exercise, women suffering from lymphedema can exercise safely as long as they:

• Wear a lymphedema sleeve.
• Make appropriate modifications to prevent overuse or trauma after breast surgery.
• Do not exercise the arm or other affected body parts to the point of fatigue.

The lymphedema specialist recommends stretching and exercises to people at risk or suffering from lymphedema. A typical exercise plan for instant relief from lymphedema includes:

• Aerobic exercise that uses the upper body.
• Flexibility and stretching exercises.
• Gentle stretches.
• Strength training, particularly for people who are active before breast cancer surgery.

The bottom line

At every step of the way, the exercise routine you choose needs to match your individual needs and fitness level. For instance, if you were not necessarily active before your breast cancer surgery, you may find strength training to be very painful. Arm compression sleeves for lymphedema help you to reduce lymphedema symptoms, boost your comfort, and potentially reduce the risk of the complications.