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Lymphedema self-care at home

Therapy visits reduce your swelling. What you do at home, every day, is what keeps it reduced. This is Phase 2 of complete decongestive therapy — a simple daily routine built around compression, movement, elevation, and skin care. Use the routine your therapist taught you; this page is the structure to hang it on.

Morning

Start before swelling builds

  • Check the limb — size, skin, anything new
  • Do your breathing and movement routine as taught, if your therapist included one
  • Put your compression garment on first thing, while swelling is lowest
  • Moisturise the night before, not right before the garment, so skin isn’t slippery

During the day

Keep fluid moving

  • Move regularly — avoid sitting or standing in one position for long stretches
  • Do your prescribed exercises while wearing compression
  • Elevate the limb when you sit, ideally above heart level where practical
  • Protect the skin: gloves, sunscreen, insect repellent as needed

Evening

Close the day out

  • Remove compression as directed; switch to a nighttime garment if you were given one
  • Wash, dry carefully, moisturise — the full skin routine
  • Elevate while you rest
  • Note anything different: more swelling, redness, a garment that slipped all day

Keep it where you’ll see it

Your daily checklist

Daily self-care Print · Stick on the fridge

  • Compression on in the morning
  • Moved / exercised in compression
  • Elevated the limb
  • Skin washed, dried, moisturised
  • Skin inspected — no new redness, cuts, or cracks
  • Garment washed or rotated
  • Anything unusual noted
  • Nighttime garment on, if prescribed

Track it

Small notes catch big setbacks early

You don’t need an app or a spreadsheet. A few lines a week — how the limb felt, whether the garment fit, any redness or new swelling — gives your therapist exactly what they need at your next visit, and helps you spot a pattern before it becomes a problem.

Bring your notes, and your garment, to every appointment. And if your swelling is steadily creeping back despite doing the routine, don’t wait for the next visit to mention it — a worn-out garment is a common cause, and it’s fixable.

When self-care isn’t enough

Call sooner, not later

Contact your therapist or doctor if swelling is increasing despite your routine, your garment no longer fits, you get repeated infections in the same limb, or you see any of the cellulitis warning signs — those need same-day care. New to all of this? Go back to what is lymphedema?

Oklahoma: request an evaluation Texas: request an evaluation

Educational information only — not medical advice for your specific situation. Follow the individual routine your treating therapist gave you where it differs from this general guide.

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