Lymphedema and Yoga

The Beginning

In 2019 I was diagnosed and underwent treatment for breast cancer. Due to the treatments I developed lymphedema. In the quest to learn how to manage this state of being, I discovered a particular sequence of yoga designed to reduce the symptoms of lymphedema. After practising daily for a year and experiencing the impact it had on being able to manage this condition, on my own at home, I realized that I needed to share this information. The Yoga for Breast Cancer Related Lymphedema program was born.

What is Lymphedema?

Edema is a term for general swelling of any sort. Lymph-edema is swelling that occurs due to damage to the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system becomes overwhelmed or damaged and can no longer function to properly transport fluid from the peripheral tissues (fingers, arms, breasts, legs, for example) back to the heart. The fluid remains stuck in the damaged tissue and causes swelling.

To help return fluid from the periphery to the heart there are four major ways we can support:

muscle movement
breathing exercises
manual lymphatic drainage massage (either by our self or by a trained therapist)
compression.

Yoga uses muscle movement and breathing exercises to support the transportation of fluid back to the heart. The sequence in which we do the yoga shapes is really important as we want the fluid to flow from the fingers, through the arm, and to drain into the heart at the base of the throat.

Since our circulatory system (of both blood and lymph) is constantly flowing, we need to constantly help the lymphatic system where it is impaired. Practicing yoga and breathing exercises everyday is a mainstay of lymph-edema management.

Signs and Symptoms

The treatments for breast cancer often result in swelling. There is 'normal' swelling, a swelling that reduces as the healing process unfolds, and then there is an edema that does not go away. Sometimes, treatment occurred a long time ago – months or even years – and then the swelling starts. The classic symptoms of lymphedema from breast cancer treatments may include

a sense of heaviness or fullness in the breast or arm
achenes in the arm joints, arm, or breast
increased size of the arm and/or breast
a feeling of tightness or stiffness in the hand, arm, or breast
rings or bracelets that become tight
itchiness or a rash that does not respond to creams or moisturizers.

These symptoms of lymphedema occur on the breast cancer affected side only.

Damage to the lymph vessels may occur due to surgery when lymph nodes are removed, or due to radiation treatments. Since the lymph nodes in our arm pit are responsible for the drainage of lymph from our arm, when they are removed the lymph in the arm may have no where to go – depending on our own unique physiology. Radiation causes tissue damage that may also damage the lymph vessels in the breast and under the arm.