Patrica Lawson, NHS Lymphoedema Specialist Practitioner Reviews Use of Deep Oscillation

In October 2018, PhysioPod were delighted to install and train Patricia Lawson and Julie Smith in the use of Deep Oscillation; enhancing their county-wide Lymphoedema service based at Peterlee, County Durham. Patricia and Julie first learned of the therapy from Sue Bartle, Breast Care Nurse at Memorial Hospital, Darlington in 2013. They are both delighted to finally have their own units to treat the patients in their care and as an added bonus, because of the minimal pressure that is required to deliver effective therapy to a depth of 8cm, non-invasive Deep Oscillation treatment has reduced pressure in their own hands.

 

Julie Soroczyn, Managing Director of PhysioPod UK is pictured with Patricia Lawson and Julie Smith, Lymphoedema Specialist Practitioners

 

 

"Following a successful grant application with Macmillan, our Specialist Lymphoedema Service purchased two Deep Oscillation Personal Sports to facilitate Deep Oscillation Therapy for patients suffering from complex Lymphoedema.

Our service has clinics throughout the county therefore we required equipment that was easy to transport. As the Personal Sports is light and comes with its own case with everything we need, it is ideal for our use. We are using deep oscillation for a variety of Lymphoedema conditions; head and neck, arm, leg, truncal and breast swelling.

 

Initial treatment has been for patients who have been having manual lymph therapy or complex decongestive therapy top up where deep oscillation therapy was utilised for the full sequence of manual lymph drainage. Where fibrosis is present in the tissues we have used deep oscillation therapy for 10 minutes on these areas starting gently.

Patients report that the treatment is very relaxing whilst having the therapy. Initial results are positive. Subcutaneous tissues soften and patients report that they feel more comfortable as tightness of the limb has reduced, making movement of limb/head and neck easier.  

We have also noticed that undertaking the manual lymph drainage technique with the deep oscillation unit reduces the impact of massaging on our hands.  We are in the early stages of using deep oscillation therapy and are learning all the time."

 

Patrica Lawson, Lymphoedema Specialist Practitioner, Specialist Lymphoedema Service, Centre for Health, Whitehouse Business Park, Peterlee, County Durham, SR8 2RU

Telephone Number : 0191 569 2870

Referrals Agents: GP, Hospital Specialist or other healthcare professional

 

 

 Read more of how Deep Oscillation first arrived in Darlington in 2013..

 

Breast Care Nurse at Memorial Hospital Darlington receives a HIVAMAT 200 from funds raised by the ladies of the local lymphoedema support group

 

PhysioPod were delighted to be contacted by Margaret Stapler in the Autumn of 2013. Members of her Lymphoedema Support Group had raised funds to buy Susan Bartle, Breast Care Nurse her own HIVAMAT 200 following a demo to the group provided by fellow Lymphoedema Therapist, Pamela de Chaumont-Rambert from Dales Therapy.

 

 

Sue Bartle, Breast Cancer Nurse receiving the HIVAMAT® 200 pictured centre. Margaret Stabler, is left of Sue

Following the demonstration by Pamela the Lymphoedema ladies support group they set their sites on raising money for the HIVAMAT® 200.  They organised a "pie and peas" night with a Tombola stall, stand up bingo, "guess the name of the dog" and a raffle. All of this was done without the knowledge of Sue.  With the funds raised and a generous donation from an anonymous source, they had the funds in place to purchase.  In early December, Sue travelled to Nottingham and had training with Julie and has since been using with confidence in her clinic for the lymphoedema patients in her care. Below are the notes received from Sue and Pamela.

 

arm lymphoedema

The DEEP OSCILLATION® is applied through gloved hands and is very effective for the treatment of

Primary and Secondary Lymphoedema, Lipoedema and Lipo-Lymphoedema

 

“Thank you to the ladies who raised the funds to buy our Lymphoedema service a Hivamat machine. It is greatly appreciated. I am having great success with it, reducing oedema in ladies who have had treatment for breast cancer. Obviously I am still in the early stages of using it and am learning all the time. Most of the women are very pleased with the results, wether it be for breast swelling following radiotherapy and/or arm swelling following axillary surgery. I start off gradually with 20 mins and increase week on week for arms and 10 mins initially for swollen breasts. I do this weekly for about 6 weeks and then monthly for maintenance. One of my ladies is so impressed she has bought her own hand held one! It has definitely changed the way I work.”
 
Sue Bartle
 

‘Hivamat’ Demonstration
 

"Late last year I was invited by a local Breast Cancer Support Group in the North East to demonstrate ‘Deep Oscillation Therapy’. I went along to meet the group in March this year and was met by an enthusiastic bunch of ladies. Over the course of an hour or so I introduced the Hivamat to the group, none of whom had any prior experience of it. I then delivered some ‘taster’ treatments to the willing volunteers and took questions from the group. The demonstration was very well received as a result I now hear the group have raised the necessary funds to buy their own unit. I am absolutely delighted that more patients will now benefit from this effective therapy"
 
Pam de Chaumont-Rambert (now retired)
Vodder MLDuk/DLT, Bowen MBTPA
Dales Therapy