Neck Dissections Lymph Drainage

Has anyone found any relief or treatment for problems with lymph drainage.  Inside lips and cheekes are constantly swollen and sore due to build up of lymphatic fluids after neck dissections. Massage is no solution. That just pushes it into the mouth and causes more pain.

All I get from doctors is I don't know.

George,

           Not exactly sure how to answer your question, so I'll make a few suggestions, and maybe these will help.

           If you are eating salty foods or are adding salt to your food, either cut back or eliminate salt all together as salt maintains the water in our bodies.

           If you are sleeping in a flat position, either on you back or on your sides and have your head level with your heart level. The fluids will collect in your neck and face. We  need to sleep with our head and neck above our heart level during sleep. One thing that is in our favor is gravity, as we walk around during the day. The Lymphnode system will slowly drain, but with stretching and massaging our neck and face daily, sometimes 3-4 times a day, the lymphnode system will start to work better. It took several months for it to kick in for me. I still need to do the massage and stretch daily, but not as often each day.

           I hope this is of some help.

           My Best to You and Everyone Here

On 8/15/2009 Pop-Pop wrote:

George,

           Not exactly sure how to answer your question, so I'll make a few suggestions, and maybe these will help.

           If you are eating salty foods or are adding salt to your food, either cut back or eliminate salt all together as salt maintains the water in our bodies.

           If you are sleeping in a flat position, either on you back or on your sides and have your head level with your heart level. The fluids will collect in your neck and face. We  need to sleep with our head and neck above our heart level during sleep. One thing that is in our favor is gravity, as we walk around during the day. The Lymphnode system will slowly drain, but with stretching and massaging our neck and face daily, sometimes 3-4 times a day, the lymphnode system will start to work better. It took several months for it to kick in for me. I still need to do the massage and stretch daily, but not as often each day.

           I hope this is of some help.

           My Best to You and Everyone Here

 

Thanks!

     That seems to be the only solution there is. I seem to be a little backwards. Walking during the day seems to compound the problem. As soon as I start any massage I get an awful metalic taste and my mouth starts to burn.  Some nights I get drainage while I sleep and awaken with a mouth full of some yellow crud. Perhaps I should just be happy its the biggest problem I have.