New clinic aims to help those with Lymphoedema
Education, advice and massage all part of the service
Watershed Lymphoedema Therapy Clinic has opened in Te Awamutu. They are located at ‘ Health on Mahoe’ and share the premises with other medical services and allied health workforce.
The clinic is run by two experienced nurses, Madeleine Fiddes and Wendy Oed, who have extensive experience and post-graduation qualifications in Palliative Care. Both are fully qualified Level 3 VODDER Lymphoedema Practitioners and members of the Australian Lymphology Association.
Lymphoedema is an umbrella term that can be caused by different conditions. It is a symptom of a disease, not a disease in itself. This means there could be multiple reasons why someone develops swelling of a limb and/or other areas of the body.
The lymphatic system is responsible for returning fluid (lymph) that has seeped into the tissues, back to the circulatory system. So, it may be that too much fluid has seeped into the tissues, or there is a blockage in
the lymphatic system preventing the return of fluid to the circulatory system.
“We also support patients with Lipoedema, offering education, advice, massage and referral for compression garments if appropriate” says Oed.
“Within the Waipā region, there is no one else specialising in this area” says Fiddes.
The initial assessment visit will
involve a detailed assessment which includes the medical, surgical and lymphoedema history to determine the likely cause of the swelling.
A treatment plan will then be formulated to meet the individual needs and goals. Treatment will vary, but may include massage, bandaging, exercises and kinesio® taping.
They also provide patients with further information to self-manage their Lymphoedema.
Patients at this clinic can self-refer; if there are medical queries that patients cannot answer, the therapists will contact the patient’s general practitioner, with permission from the patient.
Both Fiddes and Oed are passionate about providing best practices for the management of Lymphoedema and work closely with the patient and other health professionals to ensure best outcome.