Swollen limbs: The impact on quality of life

Abstract

A swollen limb from lymphoedema is a chronic condition that has not had a high medical profile. Very little research on how it is experienced has been carried out. This paper reports on part of the results of a survey of 137 people with lymphoedema conducted among members of the Lymphoedema Association of Queensland. One of the aims of the study was to assess the degree and nature of the impact of the condition on individual lives. Responses to two open-ended questions were analysed, revealing a considerable variation in the effects of the condition from ?minimal? to ?devastating?, and a range of impacts across functional and emotional dimensions. The condition can substantially reduce mobility and capacity for many activities, cause embarrassment and distress, and make wearing normal clothes difficult, and thus can have a considerable impact on quality of life. For many, the condition is secondary to treatment for cancer, resulting from removal of lymph nodes, and develops with no prior warning or information at a time when recovery from cancer is in prospect. This can make acceptance, participation in treatment and adjustment particularly difficult. Our data map the nature of the impact of a swollen limb (or limbs) on quality of life and body image.