Jane Armer on Lymphedema Symptoms and Treatments

American Lymphedema Framework Project (ALFP) Director Jane M. Armer, RN, PhD, School of Nursing, University of Missouri, Columbia, describes some of the signs and symptoms of lymphedema, including swelling in the hand and upper arm and a general feeling of heaviness.

Armer says that a patient experiencing the symptoms of lymphedema may be the first one to notice that something is different in their body. Often a person will experience a sensation of heaviness and observe swelling that may come and go. There will be measurable swelling, either in part of the limb or in the entire limb. When these symptoms appear, the patient should be assessed and possibly treated for lymphedema. She says that oncology nurses need to teach patients what to look for.

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