After a mastectomy with lymph nodes removed the Dr says don't do this?
After mastectomy and lymph node removal any injury, however minor, to thae affected arm can result in lymphoedema, a swelling of the arm. Breastcancer.org explains it like this: ''...when blood flow to your arm increases because of an infection, a burn, overusing the muscles of the arm, or even a bug bite. In these situations, the increased amount of lymphatic fluid flowing in can sometimes be too much for the arm's lymphatic vessels. If the fluid channels can't keep up with all that extra fluid, the fluid begins to back up and gather in the spaces between the cells of your arm's soft tissues. These tissues include the skin, fat, muscle, nerves, blood and lymphatic vessels, and connective tissue. The swelling resulting from this buildup of lymphatic fluid is called arm lymphedema'' You can do several things to try to prevent it, but it can happen whatever precautions you take. It may very well be that an insect bite or other injury has no effect at all, but it might. I have lymphoedema in my arm and hand; it is a lifelong risk. I have no idea what precipitated it; I think it may have been carrying shopping bags. While every care should be taken to avoid injury to the affected area, many injuries are unavoidable, and many go unnoticed. Insect bites and stings, sunburn, knocks and bangs, heavy (and not so heavy) lifting, minor burns, scratches... all are risk factors for lymphoedema, and with the best will in the world you cannot avoid them all. Always carry antiseptic cream and clean and treat any injury as soon as you can. Never allow injections, blood tests, blood pressure etc to the affected arm. You may actually be surprised how many medical professionals don't know this, and some insist it will be ok. Stick to your guns, it isn't worth the risk. My lymphoedema developed over two years after my breast surgery. I have developed cellulitis in that arm twice - both times as a result of injuries I was not aware of and so did not treat immediately. It's a lifelong risk, and it's irreversible. I have a permanently swollen arm, but it's manageable and I rarely wear my sleeve. Very occasionally it is uncomfortable, but it isn't painful
Why does removal of lymph nodes cause swelling?
Your lymphatic system has several roles, and 1 of them is to drain away intercellular fluid (thats fluid between cells). If this does not drain away (and is recycled into the blood etc) you get fluid build up. The lymphatic system is a transport network that usually runs parallel to the blood vessel network. You can see this in those children in Africa with the "fat tummies". Thier bodies are so badly lacking things (in particular its protein in this case) that their lymphatic system shuts down and they get the fluid building up in in their abdomens and hence the fat tummy. My mother had breast cancer, which spread into the lymphatic system in her armpit and "clogged" them up so they were unable to function. Her arm swelled up (as did her legs in the last week or so..this is when they start shutting down) and I know another woman who had ovarian cancer and had a lot of her lymph nodes removed inthe groin.abdomen area and found she needed to do a lot of walking to stop lyphatic tissue buiding up in her legs (muscles helped to move the fluid into areas with enough lymph nodes to help remove fluid)
It would depend entirely on why the lymph node was removed.Military Medical Standards for Enlistment & Appointment
It would depend entirely on why the lymph node was removed.Military Medical Standards for Enlistment & Appointment
Why can't someone with no lymph nodes have their blood pressure taken in that arm?
You might get away with it once, you might get away with it 20 times. But you might not, and it's not worth the risk. Taking blood pressure from the affected arm can trigger lymphoedema, and should be avoided. The risk doesn't increase with the number of times - a one-off can do it. I developed lymphoedema over 2 years after my mastectomy and lymph node removal, and I'm not sure what triggered it - I just looked down and saw that my arm and part of my hand were significantly swollen. The only explanation I could come up with was that I had carried some fairly heavy shopping bags the day before. But it could just as easily have been a bump or something that I didn't notice, That's how easy it can be to trigger lymphoedema; to minimise your risk follow all the advice - don't allow injections, blood tests, blood pressure etc on the affected arm, do your best to avoid scratches, cuts, burns, sunburn, insect bites etc to the arm, don't use the arm for heavy, or even moderate, lifting etc. Once you've got lymphoedema, you've got it. Do your best to avoid it This is part of breastcancer.org's explanation about how lymphoedema occurs: ''You can think of lymphedema as a plumbing problem: Veins and lymphatic channels are like pipes and drains that can handle the normal load of lymphatic fluid. If lymph nodes and channels are removed, there might not be enough pipes and drains to handle all the fluid. This can become a real problem when blood flow to your arm increases because of an infection, a burn, overusing the muscles of the arm, or even a bug bite. In these situations, the increased amount of lymphatic fluid flowing in can sometimes be too much for the arm's lymphatic vessels. If the fluid channels can't keep up with all that extra fluid, the fluid begins to back up and gather in the spaces between the cells of your arm's soft tissues. These tissues include the skin, fat, muscle, nerves, blood and lymphatic vessels, and connective tissue. The swelling resulting from this buildup of lymphatic fluid is called arm lymphedema''
Yes it is normal to feel lymph nodes in the neck and head. Health care providers (HCP) do this when palpating the head and neck with an exam.This video demonstrates how a head and neck lymph node exam is performed.Here is a diagram of the lymph nodes of the head and neck to which you refer.Source: The lymph nodes in the neck And of course we may want to know what can go wrong with the lymph nodes and lymphatic system.Ailments: what can go wrong with the lymphatic system An experienced clinician can further help in identifying if your lymph nodes are normal. Palpation findings are not the only way to evaluate. If they suspect a problem additional testing would be recommended. To summarize: feeling soft and moveable lymph nodes in a person's neck falls within a common and normal description. However, if the only lymph nodes you have ever felt are your own, then you logically would not have much experience to compare how they feel to other "normal" lymph nodes. Your HCP is trained to evaluate your lymph nodes and has the experience to determine how "normal" they appear. Nothing beats clinical experience, not even the Internet. : ))
Yes it is normal to feel lymph nodes in the neck and head. Health care providers (HCP) do this when palpating the head and neck with an exam.This video demonstrates how a head and neck lymph node exam is performed.Here is a diagram of the lymph nodes of the head and neck to which you refer.Source: The lymph nodes in the neck And of course we may want to know what can go wrong with the lymph nodes and lymphatic system.Ailments: what can go wrong with the lymphatic system An experienced clinician can further help in identifying if your lymph nodes are normal. Palpation findings are not the only way to evaluate. If they suspect a problem additional testing would be recommended. To summarize: feeling soft and moveable lymph nodes in a person's neck falls within a common and normal description. However, if the only lymph nodes you have ever felt are your own, then you logically would not have much experience to compare how they feel to other "normal" lymph nodes. Your HCP is trained to evaluate your lymph nodes and has the experience to determine how "normal" they appear. Nothing beats clinical experience, not even the Internet. : ))
How serious is cancer if it has spread to lymph nodes?
Usually the lymph nodes are removed if spread is thought to have happened; It's not standard practice to remove all lymph nodes in all breast cancer patients For invasive cancer it's recommended that some or all of the lymph nodes in the armpit be removed. On average there are between 20 and 30 lymph nodes in the armpit - some have more, some fewer. Between four and ten of them will usually be removed to check whether they are involved but this figure varies. Occasionally a surgeon may advise you that a patient doesn’t need to have any lymph nodes removed when the tumour is removed from the breast. Sentinel node biopsy, is a new way sometimes used to detect whether cancer has spread to the lymph nodes; it involves injecting a small amount of radioactive material and a dye that identifies the first – or ‘sentinel’ – node to receive lymph fluid from the tumour. If this sentinel node is clear it usually means that the other nodes are clear too. This technique is rapidly becoming the standard of care for patients with small cancers when the surgeon can't feel any enlarged lymph nodes in the armpit. This means that removal of all the lymph nodes under the arm could be avoided for those patients whose nodes are clear. It's not suitable in all cases. I had all my lymph nodes removed on the affected side and cancer had spread to 13 of them. Five years later I am fit and well with no sign of cancer at my last check-up. I see you're in the UK. Giving a bone scan to a breast cancer patient whose cancer has spread to the lymph nodes is routine in some hospitals, and not in others. It doesn't necessarily mean they suspect the cancer has spread to her bones, it is a precaution.
Swollen Lymph nodes around the aorta?
There are many causes for enlarged lymph nodes in the chest. There are 2 main types of this enlargement, unilateral and bilateral lymphadenopathy (unilateral = one sided, bilateral = both sides). The most common cause for both types is an auto-immune disease called sarcoidosis, but there are many other more sinister causes for this. At the end of this site is a list of potential causes for enlarged chest lymph nodes: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lymphadenop... The fact he has to see an oncologist makes it more ominous however, and points towards the suspicion of cancer unfortunately, and MAY mean lymphoma or bronchogenic carcinoma. I know this is a very scary and testing time for you both, but try not to worry until your son has seen the oncologist. Right now, nothing is certain, nothing is a guarantee, and nothing has been confirmed. All the best to you and your son! I hope everything will turn out fine.
How serious is cancer if it has spread to lymph nodes?
Usually the lymph nodes are removed if spread is thought to have happened; It's not standard practice to remove all lymph nodes in all breast cancer patients For invasive cancer it's recommended that some or all of the lymph nodes in the armpit be removed. On average there are between 20 and 30 lymph nodes in the armpit - some have more, some fewer. Between four and ten of them will usually be removed to check whether they are involved but this figure varies. Occasionally a surgeon may advise you that a patient doesn’t need to have any lymph nodes removed when the tumour is removed from the breast. Sentinel node biopsy, is a new way sometimes used to detect whether cancer has spread to the lymph nodes; it involves injecting a small amount of radioactive material and a dye that identifies the first – or ‘sentinel’ – node to receive lymph fluid from the tumour. If this sentinel node is clear it usually means that the other nodes are clear too. This technique is rapidly becoming the standard of care for patients with small cancers when the surgeon can't feel any enlarged lymph nodes in the armpit. This means that removal of all the lymph nodes under the arm could be avoided for those patients whose nodes are clear. It's not suitable in all cases. I had all my lymph nodes removed on the affected side and cancer had spread to 13 of them. Five years later I am fit and well with no sign of cancer at my last check-up. I see you're in the UK. Giving a bone scan to a breast cancer patient whose cancer has spread to the lymph nodes is routine in some hospitals, and not in others. It doesn't necessarily mean they suspect the cancer has spread to her bones, it is a precaution.