Genital Oedema - Self Care Tips - Dr Rhian Noble Jones

As part of the LWO Community and PhysioPod LAW22/WLD22 Campaign we asked Dr Rhian Noble-Jones, Lymphoedema Specialist and Physiotherapist in Wales for her participation. Rhian took to the camera and recorded the following for us, thank you so much.. and after that, is our video with graphics and Rhian's voiceover.

 

 

"Hi - my name is Dr Rhian Noble-Jones and I'm a Lymphoedema Specialist Physiotherapist in Wales having seen a lot of men women and children over the years with this condition. so if you've got it, you are not alone, there are lots of people out there but you don't need me to tell you that it can be a bit embarrassing.

Let's run through what you do to keep it

as best as it can be:

There's 3 main things: support, strength and the cleanliness and those are the things that'll keep it as good as it can be.

 

So support is something like lycra type material that doesn't dig in or leave any marks on your skin, you know things like the swimsuit type material or cycle shorts, so that you are getting a bit of extra pressure there you might be advised to put some extra padding there on one particular part of swelling for women this can be as simple as the old fashioned sanitary towels.

You might have a Lymphoedema Specialist that's advised you to put a sort of sponge padding there but in a particular shape, that's all good, that's useful stuff.

If you're using things that are absorption things, like sanitary towels, then just mind that it's not drying out your skin too much and you might need to be applying a moisturiser on the outside and not letting the inside dry too much cos it's meant to be a bit moist there regardless of what you're worried about in terms of leakage or anything like that.

In terms of the skin then, that needs washing every day but not with strong soaps or antiseptics unless you have been prescribed something in particular.

 

 

So something like the simple aqueous cream type things that you can buy cheaply from the chemist or you can get it on prescription if you need it and a good daily wash; so that it keeps that skin clean but not over washing so its getting rid of the natural things that are keeping your skin healthy

 

And then the strength, you need strength, you need strength in all of that area

so keeping your thighs strong with sit stand, sit stand, type exercise.

 

 

 

Keeping your trunk strong and that can be something like yoga or pilates 

 

 

 or it might be from regularly checking what your posture is through the day, just keeping yourself upright and strong,

 

  

But also doing your pelvic floor and men need to do pelvic floor exercises as well - so those are those lifting up inside exercise but also letting go and making sure it relaxes and there's lots of useful apps and things to help you with those.

 

 

 

 

NB these can also be done seated

 


Look after yourself, keep yourself clean, covered and strong and it'll be all good..

okay, good luck......"

 

Dr Rhian Noble-Jones