Lymphedema is a serious and usually chronic disease that dramatically affects the lives of many. If you suffer from this disease, you may wish to seek treatment from a medical professional specializing in this field. These professionals are usually located in lymphedema clinics, and choosing the right one can be an arduous task. The good news is that there are ways to identify which clinics are best for you. The most important factors to consider are location, cost, comfort, and reputation of the lymphedema clinic.
Lymph nodes within the body are involved in immunity and act to filter out fluids on their way back to the heart. In those with lymphedema, like a clogged drain, this filtering system may become obstructed, causing a fluid buildup in particular regions of the body. This fluid buildup can cause a plethora of threatening health problems, along with potentially traumatic changes in body appearance.
The cause of this disease may be varied; however, treatments are usually similar. Generally, doctors use compression, pump therapy, or surgery, although a number of other options and experimental treatments also exist. You may be more concerned with where to get treated instead of which type of treatment is best for you, and this is certainly a rational concern. Finding the right clinic can help ease the anxiety and stress of health care while maximizing the chance of managing your condition well.
You should consider location and cost first when choosing a lymphedema clinic. If you do not like to travel or have insurance that only covers certain clinics, you should be aware of this and only search for a lymphedema clinic within your boundaries. Check with your insurance company to be sure you know which clinics are covered.
Reputation is another important consideration while choosing your lymphedema clinic. Sometimes, convenience may trump reputation in two similar clinics, but the extra travel time may be worth the care of a well-known provider. Be sure to find the right balance between these two factors, so neither is compromised too heavily.
The complexity of human interaction leaves us feeling different comfort levels around different people, sometimes for unidentifiable reasons. Doctors and other members of the health care world are people too, and you may click with some and despise others. Once you identify a lymphedema clinic, be sure to find the right provider within that clinic before committing wholly to your decision. Leaving yourself room for flexibility allows you the greatest chance of success in finding the right lymphedema clinic for you.
