Supporting lymphedema treatment with hypnosis

Lymphedema is a side effect that can occur after surgery to remove cancer, during which some lymph nodes are also removed. This can lead to fluid buildup around the area where the node used to be, which can be painful and simply not look good. In addition, lymphedema is often chronic, and that can be really hard on your self-esteem, because, for example, you might not like the way it looks.

You may find this very annoying, which is why it is helpful to do something about it.

How lymphedema occurs

Lymphedema usually occurs after surgery in which a lymph node has been removed, allowing doctors to check whether cancer has spread or not. This actually makes it more difficult for the lymphatic system to get rid of fluid and waste in that location, so you can get some kind of accumulation. That accumulation of fluid is often rich in protein[1].

Other risk factors include infections or previous trauma in the arm or leg where lymphedema occurs, or near where the fluid drains away to the lymph node. Because this is then more necessary than if that infection or wound had not been there[2].

You can also get primary lymphedema, in which case, for example, you get it without a lymph node having been removed. There is then an imbalance between the amount of fluid and substances the body wants to get rid of and how well the lymphatic system can do so. With primary lymphedema, there often cannot be a clear cause[3]. If you get it, it usually develops during adolescence. You may then also experience cellulite.

In addition to the lymphatic system, you can also look at the microcirculation of blood to see if something is going on there that is causing lymphedema to develop (source 3).

Whether you have primary or secondary lymphedema, if you have it for a very long time you may suffer from a rare type of lymphatic cancer, but that chance remains very small[4]. In the 1960s and 1970s, cancer treatments were not very good, which allowed this to occur. But as cancer treatments have improved, this cancer is almost non-existent[5].

In about 28% of women treated for breast cancer in the South of England, lymphedema in the arms/oaks follows (source 3). Sometimes this happens immediately, but it can also take months and even years before you see any swelling.

The arm can become as much as twice as thick as normal and this can limit you physically and it is often not pleasant emotionally either.

Lymphedema treatment

Lymphedema treatment in the Netherlands consists mainly of some kind of massage from a physical therapist specializing in lymphedema, and some kind of support stocking or support sleeve (in the case of the arms) is often recommended.

If you have lymphedema in the groin, you can wear corrective underwear to exert the pressure that would be given in other places by a support stocking or support sleeve.

Always consult with your physical therapist about what type of corrective underwear might work in your case.

The physical therapist will also teach you how to perform massage yourself, so you can perform it at home to combat worsening lymphedema.

It is also important to keep moving, as muscle movement keeps fluids in the lymphatic system moving.

In some cases, surgical intervention is used to reduce lymphedema, but these are more successful when the lymphedema is still in its early stages, as such surgery can also cause additional damage to the lymphatic system.

In addition, there are also procedures that reroute lymphatic vessels so that you don't suffer or suffer less from the blockage in your lymphatic system. This procedure is often performed under local anesthesia[6].

If you've developed some kind of fat accumulation from lymphedema, you can also have specialist liposuction performed by someone knowledgeable about how to do it with minimal damage to your lymphatic system. However, you do need to apply compression to that area throughout your life afterwards, i.e. wear support stockings, sleeves or corrective underwear[7].

Lymphedema and nutrition

Research among women with breast cancer shows that if your BMI is higher than 26, this increases your risk of developing lymphedema. The more overweight you are, the more likely you are to develop lymphedema.

This study examined the effects of weight loss, specifically through a low-fat diet. The women were first asked to keep a diary of their normal eating habits and then to reduce their daily calorie intake by 1,000 calories. As a result, most women had to consume between 1,000 and 1,200 calories per day. This calorie reduction was achieved primarily by eating less fat and fewer carbohydrates. This often means eating more vegetables. The women had to maintain this for twelve weeks, or three months. The women who participated were, on average, 60 years old and had a BMI of between 30 and 33.

Losing weight also helped shrink the swollen arm. The arm not affected by lymphedema also became slimmer, but the arm with lymphedema decreased in volume proportionally more than the unaffected arm. For example, the circumference of the arm with lymphedema decreased by six to seven percent, while the circumference of the arm without lymphedema decreased by three to six percent.

There was also a correlation of 0.513 between weight loss and arm circumference reduction. It is not a one-to-one reduction, but it is a one-to-one reduction of about 0.5.

If you lose weight and also use support sleeves, stockings, or corrective underwear, it is important to adjust this to your new body size to ensure its effectiveness[8].

Lymphedema legs and losing weight

Extreme obesity, where you have a BMI of forty or higher, can also cause lymphedema in the legs. Virtually everyone with a BMI of sixty or higher suffers from a dysfunctional lymphatic system. You often need to slim down to a BMI of less than forty before doctors and surgeons intervene to perform a "resection. A type of liposuction is then used.

How hypnosis helps with lymphedema

Hypnosis can help you with the practical aspects as well as the mental aspects of lymphedema. For example, if you find it difficult to change your lifestyle, hypnosis can help you with your motivation to exercise or move.

If you want to lose weight, hypnosis can even help you achieve a “hypnotic gastric band,” which can make weight loss easier.

And even your perception of taste can be changed with hypnosis, which can make it easier to eat more vegetables and enjoy healthy foods with less fat and carbohydrates.

In addition, hypnosis can also help you reduce your feelings of pain .

As far as the practical side.

Because your body is changing due to lymphedema, it can be very awkward for your sense of identity, and the discomfort often makes you feel less good mentally as well.

Hypnosis can help you address your beliefs about your identity and the impact you think lymphedema has on your life. A hypnotherapist can help you shift your subconscious focus from what’s no longer right to what’s still right, so that you feel better mentally.

For example, beliefs about your appearance and other things that make you unhappy can be replaced with beliefs about the importance of your character and a different outlook so that you can still be happy despite lymphedema.

With regression, for example, you can explore why you find certain physical characteristics important. You usually go back to a memory or an event that shaped that belief, and then you can work with that memory—such as empathizing with other people at that moment. Or you can have your current self talk to your younger self to show that what seemed so important back then simply no longer serves you now, and that it’s okay to let it go.

Sometimes repeating hypnotic suggestions can also be helpful, such as:

"I'm good enough."

"People who disapprove of my appearance I don't want in my life anyway."

"I can live healthy."

"I can figure anything out."

These are just examples. Depending on your problems with lymphedema, you may receive other suggestions to help with your well-being.

Would you like to learn more about how hypnosis works and how you can use it to help yourself and others? Then join the free online masterclass or attend a seminar.

Or sign up for one of our training courses. These are taught online from a professional studio and include ample professional assistance to ensure one-on-one attention.

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