http://www.westburytotalhealthcare.com/lymphedema_026.htm Westbury Total Health Care is a multidisciplinary rehabilitation practice specializing in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Lymphedema Treatment , Physical Therapy, Chiropractic and much more. Under the Coordination of Dr. Kwan Jakobsen, Dr. Gabriela Jano and Dr. Ira Fisher there is over 30 years experience. Our facility specializes in Complex Lymphedema Therapy. The Lymphedema treatment which our office provides involves decongestive manual lymphatic drainage followed by multilayered short stretch compression strapping of either the upper or lower extremities that is worn 24/7. The patient remains in the bandages until the next treatment session. Total patient’s treatment time is in the vicinity of 90 to 120 minutes per day, treatment is optimal at five days per week. The patient will remain in compression bandages while active care of manual lymphatic drainage is being performed, once the extremity stabilizes and no further progression is anticipated then the patient is fitted for a compression garment, such as a sleeve/glove, stocking, thigh or knee high. Specialized Breast Cancer Program. Physical Therapy Programs for all kinds of vestibular disorders. Chiropractic services specializing in sports injuries. Wed, 14 Apr 2010 15:58:48 GMT Web Easy by Avanquest Software http://www.westburytotalhealthcare.com/lymphedema_026.htm http://www.westburytotalhealthcare.com/images/lymphedema026p00.gif Kinesio Tape in conjuction with Lymphedema Treatment, Physcial Therapy and Chiropractic lymphedema_036.htm Wed, 14 Apr 2010 15:58:48 GMT Westbury Total Health Care lymphedema_036.htm#1 Kinesio Tape in Conjunction with Lymphedema Treatment. “I can tell you from using it, the results are great. We use it in conjunction with MLD and compression bandaging. In some difficult cases when started to use the tape it helped to advance the results. The tape works by lifting the skin and allowing the lymphatics underneath to drain.”, Staff at Westbury Total Health Care. The idea behind the tape is to lift the skin and allow the lymphatics underneath to drain from the area, we continue to perform the MLD to open channels so that the load to the lympathics is reduced. Depending upon the severity, chronicity and degree we usually perform the compression bandaging as well. In mild cases sometimes the MLD,tape, and garments are all that is needed. The tape can be worn underneath any type of stocking, just be careful when putting on the stocking that it does not roll the tape, once you learn how to play with the tape it should not be a problem. Check Kinesio.com to see if they list therapists in your region The nice thing about the tape is that it can be worn underneath your garments, it can be worn in the shower and does not have to removed for a couple of days as long the skin doesn't have a reaction, ie itchy from dry skin. The tape does not have any latex for those allergic to latex. The tape can be purchased through your doctor/therapist/supplier or Kinesio association. The cost for 1 roll is usually about $20 dollars depending on tax and shipping, for lymphedema we use the 3" wide tape You should find a doctor/therapist who is familiar with the applications and can teach you how to cut and apply the tape. There is a specific technique for lymphedema that can be taught. In addition, if the lymphedema is in the upper extremity, the tape can also be used to treat shoulder impingements, very common with post mastectomy patients lymphedema_028.htm Wed, 14 Apr 2010 15:58:48 GMT Westbury Total Health Care lymphedema_028.htm#2 Information regarding Kinesio tape The Kinesio tape Association is world wide and has been around since the late 90's. It became very popular after the recent Olympics when the top athletes were using it for women’s volleyball, basketball and Lance Armstrong for cycling. General Purpose of taping: Kinesio Tape is designed to gently create forces on the surface of the skin which elevate the tissue, relieving the pressure beneath the skin surface, thereby promoting increased circulation. Wearing of the tape Kinesio tape is to be worn for appx. 2-4 days. The tape’s cotton fabric will absorb water; however the acrylic glue adhesive next to the skin is waterproof. The tape is perforated with numerous holes to allow air circulation, making the tape comfortable to wear. The tape may be worn in the shower. Please DO NOT rub the tape with a towel or washcloth. DO NOT use hair dryer to dry the tape. Blot the tape with towel; the cotton fabric will dry in approximately 20 minutes. When putting on clothing, try not to rub against the tape excessively as this tends to roll the edges of the tape. If a section of the tape should begin to peel, simply trim the affected portion with scissors. Observation If any itching sensation develops beneath the tape, remove the tape immediately. A small percentage of people are sensitive to a salt build up trapped under the tape. If you continue to wear the tape, skin irritation may result. Handling the tape Please remove the tape approximately 24 hours before your next therapy visit. Inform your therapist about any changes that occurred after the tape was removed. To remove tape, pull in direction of hair growth. Use a trailing finger under the tape, separating the skin from the tape. Soaking the tape in water (in the shower) helps with its removal lymphedema_027.htm Wed, 14 Apr 2010 15:58:48 GMT Westbury Total Health Care lymphedema_027.htm#3