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Lymphoedema clinic

The West Suffolk Lymphoedema Service sees patients with a West Suffolk GP with Lymphoedema and Lipoedema. We are based in Bury St Edmunds with some outreach clinics running once a week around the West Suffolk area.

About Lymphoedema

Lymphoedema can be primary or secondary in nature and results in long term swelling in any area of the body either due to a genetic failure or through damage such as repeated infections, severe injury, deep vein thrombosis or treatment for cancer. Secondary lymphoedema can also occur when blood vessels are not working properly or where a patient has reduced movement.

Lipoedema is a chronic condition were enlarged fat cells accumulate below the waist, hips and buttocks. This condition tends to affect women more than men. This condition can also put extra stain on the lymphatic system which can result in lymphoedema swelling.

Lymphoedema and Lipoedema are conditions which cannot be cured, but with appropriate treatment it can be controlled.

Treatments

Before any treatment can take place, the lymphoedema team will give you an initial assessment to review symptoms and assess medical history, we will then explain the most likely cause of your swelling and discuss treatment.

Treatment options may include compression hosiery, exercise, self-lymphatic drainage, skin care, kinesio tape, low level light therapy or the use of a compression pump. All management programmes are tailored to the individual, it may not be appropriate to offer you all of these treatments. Once treatment has began reviews will take place to further support you with your condition. It is possible that once you are able to self-manage the condition we can plan to discharge you from the service.

The service can be contacted on 01284 712732 and referrals can be made by health care professionals.

Useful information

There is a patient Lymphoedema support group that meets on the Morton Hall they can be contacted via Isssuffolk@gmail.com and on their Facebook page LSS (Lymphoedema Support Suffolk) or search @lymphodema on Facebook or in Messenger to find the page.

Useful websites are The British Lymphology Society and Lipoedema UK

For more information, have a look at our Patient Information Leaflets on Lymphoedema.