Lymphedema Clinic in Walchsee (Austria) – Wittlinger Therapy Center

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The rehabilitation and lymphoedema clinic, Wittlinger Therapiezentrum in Walchsee, is not just any clinic. It has been the competence center for lymphedema patients in Austria for over five decades. In fact, according to a study by the Institute for Management and Economic Research, which analyzed and tested 2000 healthcare facilities in Austria, the Wittlinger Therapy Center received the prestigious' TOP Healthcare Facility' award in April 2024. This recognition assures you of the quality of our services.

In a pleasant, welcoming atmosphere, inpatients and outpatients are expertly treated by a qualified team of therapists under the guidance of doctors trained in lymphology, who are responsible for the medical area. The physical and emotional well-being of the patients is also a high priority.

Highest Level of Expertise in the Treatment of Primary Lymphedema

Approximately one in 6,000 newborns are born with a malfunction of the lymphatic system, which can manifest in a reduced number or severe dysfunction of the lymph vessels or lymph nodes. With this genetic disorder of the lymphatic drainage system, an external trigger, such as sunburn or an insect bite, can cause swelling of the extremities, which - in most cases - begins at the toes. If this drainage system of the organism no longer functions, the tissue fluid accumulates, particularly in the limbs, and appears as so-called primary lymphoedema. In addition, if it persists for a long time, typical skin changes occur, such as severe skin keratinization, warts, or blisters.

When functional, the terminal branches of the lymphatic vessels are stretched out like tiny funnels in the tissue to drain tissue fluid toward the heart via large lymphatic vessels.

At the Wittlinger Therapy Center, an inpatient rehabilitation clinic for lymphedema patients, the treating physicians have many years of experience using combined physical decongestion therapy. This conservative and empirically proven procedure is based on the pillars: revitalizing skin care, manual lymphatic drainage according to Dr Vodder, compression therapy, targeted exercise therapy, and self-management instructions.

Secondary Lymphedema: Personalized Therapy at the Wittlinger Lymphedema Clinic Therapy Center

As with primary lymphedema, secondary lymphoedema is a chronic condition that can be treated well but cannot be cured with today's medical knowledge. It, therefore, requires lifelong treatment.

In contrast to the congenital defect of the lymphatic system in primary lymphoedema, secondary lymphedema only occurs during life due to various illnesses, injuries, or as a side effect of treatment. The most common cause is the surgical removal of lymph nodes in the armpit or the area of the pelvis and groin as part of tumor diseases, such as breast cancer or tumors of the abdomen.

If lymphedema is not detected or treated for years, it can trigger a pathological increase in connective and fatty tissue. In addition, the constant congestion of the tissue water leads to impaired immune system functioning, as the immunizing white blood cells can only reach their site of action in the congested tissue in insufficient numbers. As a result, skin infections, known as erysipelas, often develop as a complication of lymphedema. In the worst case, chronic secondary lymphoedema can degenerate into malignancy.

Therefore, if swelling occurs in the limbs after surgery in the armpit or groin region and symptoms of fatigue or even pain quickly appear in the affected extremity, a specialist physician should be consulted.

To make the correct diagnosis at an early stage and to prevent the disease from progressing, the medical team at the Wittlinger Therapy Center, led by Dr Silke Grummt, specialist in dermatology, has a high level of lymphological expertise, which is based on the latest scientific studies in lymphology.

An individual therapy plan is drawn up with the patient to enable the patient to successfully self-manage the disease in the long term.

Phlebolymphedema: State-of-the-Art Treatment of Vascular and Lymphatic System Problems

If congestion occurs in the legs, particularly in the second half of the day after hours of standing work, which can be relieved by elevating the legs overnight, and if venous insufficiency (varicosis) is diagnosed or already known, chronic insufficiency of the leg veins is often the cause of the symptoms.

This is often noticeable due to brownish discoloration of the skin and varicose veins shining through on the lower legs and feet. As the disease progresses, venous insufficiency can lead to thrombosis and ulceration of the skin and can also severely affect the lymphatic system. The constant restriction of venous return transport causes lymphatic loads (water and proteins) to accumulate in the tissue, and the removal via the lymph channels reaches its capacity limit.

Essential measures for preventing this swelling include consistent compression using specially fitted stockings and elevating the legs. Cold or hot and cold Kneipp baths can help to reduce swelling and are also vascular training. If these methods fail, chronic phlebo-lymphedema can develop, which can be treated well with combined physical decongestive therapy.

Lipedema: Treatment of the Chronic Fat Distribution Disorder

In the latest medical publications, lipedema is also called lipohyperplasia dolorosa, or LiDo for short. LiDo is not edema, lymphoedema, or obesity. It is a chronic increase in fatty tissue on the extremities, usually in women. It is painful and associated with a tendency to hematoma. LiDo can develop during puberty, after pregnancy, or during menopause, probably due to genetic predisposition.

Despite incomplete knowledge of the disease's development, pain symptoms usually decrease due to a reduction in the edema mass. As this is a fat distribution disorder, weight reduction does not usually improve the condition. However, if suffering from LiDo, excess weight favors the development of secondary lymphedema.

At the Wittlinger Therapy Center, therapy concepts are used that provide significant relief and help for patients with LiDo. These concepts control pain symptoms and prevent the progression of the disease.

Specialists for Posttraumatic Lymphoedema: Individual Therapy Approaches for Edema after Injuries

Severe work injuries and accidents in sports or road traffic can also disrupt or damage the lymph channels to the extent that the tissue fluid cannot be drained sufficiently, resulting in secondary lymphedema. Combined physical decongestive therapy is also an effective treatment approach for lymphedema of traumatic origin.

Please visit the Wittlinger Therapy Center website for more information.