About wounds with lymphedema
Lymphedema is long-term swelling that builds when the lymphatic system cannot carry fluid out of an arm or leg as fast as it collects. The lymphatic system is a network of thin vessels and nodes that returns fluid to the bloodstream and helps the body fight infection. When it falls behind, fluid that is rich in protein settles in the tissue under the skin.
A lymphedema wound is any open area on a limb swollen this way. It may be a shallow raw patch, a blister that has burst, a split at the bottom of a skin fold or a deeper ulcer. Most are on the lower legs, ankles and feet. What they share is the setting: skin that is stretched, damp and slow to repair itself.
How the care plan is built
A first assessment usually starts with the story of the swelling. The treating clinician asks when it began, whether it affects one limb or both, and whether it goes down overnight. A history of cancer treatment, leg surgery, injuries, blood clots or repeated skin infections matters, and so does the list of current medicines.
This history points to the cause, or more often the mix of causes, and that shapes the care plan. Swelling driven mostly by the lymphatic system is handled differently from swelling driven by the heart, the kidneys or the veins. The clinician may want records or test results from other offices, and Gateway gathers those ahead of the visit when it can.
Wound care with lymphedema in Hazelwood
Many people in Hazelwood have lived in the same house for decades and have managed swollen legs on their own for nearly as long, often with worn stockings and a routine that worked until the skin opened. Older homes add their own difficulties: a tub to step over when legs need washing, a bathroom up the stairs, a favorite chair with no way to raise the feet. A treating clinician visiting at home can see these and suggest workable changes. Gateway coordinates the visit and any garments or supplies ordered.
Residential Hazelwood is a mix of ranch homes, split-levels, townhouses and a good number of apartment complexes near Lindbergh Boulevard and the interstate. Senior apartments, assisted living and skilled nursing facilities are located in the city and in the towns next to it. Gateway arranges partner clinician visits in all of them. Apartment visits need a building and unit number and sometimes a gate code. Facility visits are coordinated with the nurse in charge. In every setting the treating clinician decides the care, and Gateway handles the logistics.
At home between visits
Few people with lymphedema in the legs can manage the care alone. Reaching the feet, lifting a heavy limb and applying layers of wrap take flexibility and strength that the condition itself wears away. A spouse, an adult child or a paid caregiver often does the daily skin care, and the treating clinician may order home health nursing for dressing changes and compression.
Gateway shares the clinician’s orders with the home health agency and coordinates the schedule so everyone follows one plan. Caregivers are welcome at visits. It is the right time to ask what you are expected to do and what should be left to a nurse.
For residents of nursing and senior living communities
Memory care and assisted living bring their own challenges for lymphedema. A resident with dementia may pull at a wrap, unroll it or be unable to say that it hurts, so staff need to know what to watch for: toes changing color, a wrap bunched behind the knee, fluid soaking through. The treating clinician takes this into account when choosing the type of compression.
Assisted living staff are often not permitted to change dressings or apply wraps. In that case the clinician may order home health nursing to come to the apartment, and Gateway coordinates among the agency, the community and the family.
Signs to tell the clinician about
Small changes in the skin of a limb with lymphedema are worth reporting early, while they are easier to deal with. Let the treating clinician know about:
- A wound that is getting larger or deeper
- A clear increase in leaking, or dressings that soak through faster than before
- New blisters, raw patches or cracks, especially in skin folds
- Skin around the wound that turns white, soggy or sore
- Itching, scaling or splits between the toes
- A new or stronger odor
Call 911 for heavy bleeding that does not stop with firm pressure, or if the person becomes confused or hard to wake.
How primary care fits in
Because lymphedema lasts longer than any single wound, someone needs to hold the long view. A primary care clinician can track how often skin infections return, check the feet and toenails for the fungal problems that let bacteria in, and serve as the point of contact for the other specialists you see.
Gateway arranges wound care and primary care together for this reason. When the wound visits wind down, there is already a clinician who knows the history, the garments in use and what an early flare looks like for you. Questions such as who reorders garments, and how often the limb should be rechecked, have a place to go.
How to get started in Hazelwood
You may already have a surgeon, a wound clinic or a home health nurse and still want help with wound care with lymphedema closer to home in Hazelwood. That is a fine reason to call 314-325-0126. Tell us who is treating the wound now and what is not working, whether that is the travel, the gaps between appointments or unclear instructions. Gateway does not replace your current clinicians. We can arrange for a partner clinician to see the wound where you live and, with your permission, share notes with the offices already involved so the plans agree.
SSM Health DePaul Hospital in Bridgeton is the closest hospital for most of Hazelwood, and Christian Hospital in North County is a short drive east on Interstate 270. Gateway is not affiliated with either one. Patients sent home with a surgical wound, a pressure injury or a leg ulcer need someone to follow it. Discharge planners can fax a referral with orders and demographics. Family members can call with the hospital name and discharge date. Gateway requests the records, confirms the Hazelwood address, and arranges the follow-up visit with a treating clinician.
- County: St. Louis County, Missouri
- ZIP codes: 63042
- Nearby hospitals: SSM Health DePaul Hospital in Bridgeton; Christian Hospital in North County (not affiliated with Gateway)
- Nearby communities: Florissant, Bridgeton, Ferguson, Maryland Heights, North County
- Care settings: Private homes, skilled nursing, assisted living, memory care and rehabilitation
Other conditions and nearby communities
Read the full guide to wounds with lymphedema, or see everything Gateway arranges on the mobile wound care in Hazelwood page.
- Diabetic foot ulcers
- Venous leg ulcers
- Pressure injuries and bed sores
- Arterial and mixed wounds
- Non-healing wounds
- Post-surgical wounds
- Reopened (dehisced) surgical wounds
- Surgical site infections
- Skin tears and traumatic wounds
- Skin graft aftercare
- Wound VAC (NPWT) follow-up
- Wound care with lymphedema in Florissant
- Wound care with lymphedema in Ferguson
- Wound care with lymphedema in Maryland Heights
- Wound care with lymphedema in North County
Common questions
Can a wound care clinician come to a home in Hazelwood for a lymphedema wound?
Gateway arranges home visits with partner clinicians across Greater St. Louis and the Metro East, and availability in Hazelwood is confirmed by address and care setting. Call 314-325-0126 to ask. It helps to have a list of your medicines, the names of the clinicians you see and any wraps or garments you have tried. The treating clinician decides what care is needed after seeing the limb.
What does a lymphedema therapist do, and would I still need wound care?
A lymphedema therapist is a physical or occupational therapist with added training in reducing lymphatic swelling through specialized massage, bandaging, exercise and garment fitting. A therapist does not replace the clinician who manages an open wound. The two often work on the same limb at different stages. The treating clinician decides whether and when a therapy referral makes sense, and Gateway can coordinate the referral paperwork.
Why do I keep getting cellulitis in the same leg?
A limb with lymphedema clears bacteria slowly, so germs that get in through a crack, a blister or peeling skin between the toes can take hold quickly. Each infection can scar more lymph vessels, which adds swelling and sets up the next one. Tell your clinicians how often it has happened. They can look for the entry points and decide what prevention makes sense for you.
Can care be arranged for someone living in a Hazelwood apartment complex?
Yes. Give us the name of the complex, the building number, the unit and the floor. Tell us about gate codes, where visitors park and whether there are stairs to the unit. If the patient cannot get to the door, let us know who will let the clinician in or how the door will be left. These details go to the visiting clinician before the first visit.
General information to help you talk with your own clinician. It is not medical advice, and the treating clinician makes every clinical decision. For a medical emergency, call 911.