Lymphedema and pain
Common Pain Syndromes in
  Lymphedema
Infection

Cellulitis
Lymphangitis
Myofascial Pain
  Syndromes

Frozen Shoulder
Neuropathic Pain
  Syndromes

Postmastectomy Pain Syndrome
Phantom Breast
Pain
Brachial  Plexopathies
Peripheral
Neuropathy
Chemotherapy
Entrapment  Neuropathies
Carpal Tunnel
Syndrome
Ulnar Entrapment
Vascular  Compromise
Deep Vein
  Thrombosis
Arthritis
Degenerative
Inflammatory
Table 2.
Adjuvant
  analgesic classes useful in the treatment of nerve pain
Tricyclic
  Antidepressants
Anticonvulsants
Oral local anesthetics
Antispasticity
  agents
Neuropleptics
Capscacin
Dr. Brennan is Chief of Rehabilitation
  Medicine at the United States-based Bridgeport Hospital and works
for  the Ahlbin Centers For Rehabilitation Medicine.
Q: I have had my
lymphedema  in my right arm for five years, and recently it started to hurt
badly. My doctor
is no help, and I haven't seen this mentioned in
your newsletter.
A:  Thank you for this important question. There are an
increased number of patients  who contact us
regarding pain. Some
have become quite upset since we  advise them that usually lymphedema does not
hurt,
except, of course,  the discomfort of psychological pain. But
any time there is pain it is important  to rule out
recurrent
disease, infections, nerve related pain (brachial  plexus) or other. Pain can
aggravate and worsen
the swelling, and it is  important to
discontinue therapy until one knows what is causing these symptoms.
Some patients have continuous pain and we do not know why. Once
  complications have been ruled out,
starting Manual Lymphatic
Drainage  and bandaging to keep the limb as small as possible is recommended;

decongesting the limb brings many benefits all around.