Has anyone heard about the value of rebounding, bouncing on a exercise trampoline? It seems to make sense since your lymphatic fluid also carries dead cells, metabolic waste, and toxins away from healthy tissue to be eliminated through sweat, mucus, urine, and liver bile.

My husband has had a lot of trouble with swelling in the morning, so bad lately that some mornings his neck just isn't the turkey neck but he looks like the hulk!! In July when it became much worse he developed sleep apnea almost overnight which I think is from the lymphedemia. Now wearing the CPAP mask tends to make the swelling worse so it is a vicious cycle.

You have about three times more lymphatic fluid than blood, but here�s the catch, there�s no pump! Muscle contractions in your body encourage the lymphatic fluid to circulate through a series of one-way valves in your body. So the more you move your body, the more you move your lymphatic fluid.

So, it just makes sense that this might work to get the fluid moving so guess who just bought another exercise item to add to our collection.

Wondering if anyone has heard about this or tried it.

Hi Terri,sounds like a good idea to improve cardio fitness but I don't think this will improve the lymph oedema in his neck. Mainly because jumping / bouncing won't move his neck muscles to the degree that is needed to shift fluid . However I will be interested to hear if this does improves Jeffs symptoms. Can't hurt.
Don't Jeffs docs have any suggestions to help? Kris still has lymphoedema in his neck but it is certainly improving. We were told it would take 9 to 12 months to subside..
Tammy

Lets see, Donna (aka Pandora99), our famous Bucket Listing, Sky Diving, Radiation Illuminating Snow Queen from Winnipeg, once had a trampoline on this very site. Maybe she will comment?

Oh no that was Liz from England. Sorry, my bad.

I very much found that exercise - any form helps with lymphedema... I did lymphatic massage with a professional for a few months - then did it by myself after that - but I discovered excercise really helps once the new lymphatic pathways have formed. take care.

finally. cheryl gives real medical advice on something that is very helpful: lymphatic massage. No woo woo, just plain old real world physics: Here is a good summary of other treatments for lymphedema from the Mayo clinic
Mayo clinic lymphedema TX

Charm... woo woo... is part of my appeal...actually I do give a lot of normal advice I just also happen to believe that things like acupuncture do have the potential to help. ;o)

Charm, too bad the link at the Mayo Clinic does not deal with massage to the neck. This is just for arms and legs.

Teri

Now you are in the myth busting business
You are right that the mayo clinic dealt with lympadema of the arms and legs, not the neck. Good thing since the compression garments used on the arms and legs are hard to place without choking a patient.
Exercise and massage for lymphadema in the neck were recommended to me by my CCC. I know there have been lots and lots of studies done in Australia on this. Most doctors just lump it into physical therapy, unfortunately insurance companies don't.
I think massage therapy with actual hands on (not waving energy around like Reiki) is pretty conventional medicine.
My post was more in a teasing nature, as yours was
Charm

My husband had used a compression garment that went around his neck. Lately though he has been using a cervical collar I believe it is called. For almost 2 weeks he has not had the Hulk neck in the morning so I think it is really working. It would look like something you see on someone that has had whiplash. Just to prove this was the reason for the improvement he left it off one night and when he was up during the night his swelling was starting so back on it went. I think it is working better than the first one because it applies pressure all around his neck and keep his neck straight rather than scrunching up during the night keeping the fluid moving rather than puddling up. His massage therapist was quite happy to find something that works and he may be able to discontinue the treatments.

Terri

Good. The collar sounds like a good idea. Looks like the Mayo clinic should update it's site. Again, I was told to do lympathic massage after my neck dissection and I found it worked.
It's a therapy that shows results whether you believe in it or not which is the litmus test for me.
Charm