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For 38 years, Rose* was a first point of contact for visitors to a large high school in South Florida. She was a secretary in the office and a familiar face to teachers and students alike.
“I sat out front and saw everybody that came in,” Rose shares. “Talking to students was an everyday thing. They often came into the office in the morning. Sometimes, they were late. Other times, they had problems or just wanted to talk. I even talked to parents.”
Rose retired in 2017. A few years later, she developed issues with her legs that became very bothersome.
“I was having problems with heaviness in my legs, especially in the morning,” Rose describes. “It was worse in one leg, but both legs were swollen and hard as a rock. They hurt so bad that I started using a walker to get around. I went to an urgent care center, and the doctor there said, You have lymphedema. He advised me to visit a vein doctor.”
Lymphedema is a condition characterized by the accumulation of fluid in the tissues, leading to abnormal swelling in the arms or legs. It occurs when the lymphatic system, which helps rid the body of toxins, is damaged or blocked, causing lymph fluid to build up.
Sometimes, lymphedema is associated with venous insufficiency, where one-way valves in leg veins fail and prevent blood from returning to the heart. This can impair nearby lymphatic vessels, leading to lymphatic fluid buildup and swelling.
“There was a lot of fluid in my legs, and when I saw the vein doctor, he said, There’s something I want you to try,” recalls Rose, who was advised to try a compression pump from Acute Wound Care.
Rhythmic Repeats
Acute Wound Care is a fully accredited home medical equipment provider that specializes in hospital-grade compression devices and specialty wound-care dressings. The compression pumps, which are approved by most insurers, are designed to improve circulation and assist the venous and lymphatic systems to reduce fluid accumulation in the legs or arms.
“The machine’s limb-sized sleeves work with the compression device to gently massage the limbs,” describes Alyssa Snyder, a certified compression therapist with Acute Wound Care. “The massaging action helps drain excess fluid back into the body’s circulatory system so that it can be naturally eliminated. This process alleviates swelling and many painful symptoms.”
Each of the sleeves contains four or eight chambers, depending on the patient’s needs and preferences. During the treatment, each chamber fills with air. The chamber then releases the air, and the pattern repeats in a rhythmic fashion, moving excess fluid out of the limbs.
The safe and painless pumps not only reduce fluid retention in the limbs, but they also improve overall blood flow. And by circulating healing factors in the blood, the pumps can be used to heal the chronic wounds and ulcers that often develop with venous insufficiency.
“The pump boosts circulation by contracting the calf muscles, assisting blood flow back toward the heart,” Alyssa explains. “Better blood flow helps prevent ulcers, infections and other skin complications of venous insufficiency.”
How often patients use the pump depends on the severity of their condition.
“For most patients, the initial recommendation is to use the pump daily for 45 minutes to 90 minutes,” Alyssa informs. “This can be done in the morning and/or evening. While using the pump, patients simply sit back with their limbs elevated throughout the treatment session.
“Many patients see a noticeable difference in the swelling and the size of their limbs after their first session. Also, the pump’s sleeves are durable and antimicrobial. If patients have open wounds, they can use the pump with the wounds covered to aid in healing.”
Rose says she can feel the improvement after using the compression pump.
“My legs feel so much better, and I walk much better – without the walker,” she says. “After using the pump, I have to use the restroom a lot. The doctor said that’s from the machine working to push the fluid out of my legs, which are now soft. The heaviness in the morning is gone, too. That machine really works. I recommend it.”
*Patient’s name changed at her request.
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