I am wearing support hose, but my leg is very uncomfortable by the end of the day, and my leg swells even more after removing supports. Lymphedema is swelling caused by an interference with the normal drainage of lymph back into the blood. Acquired lymphedema is more common than the congenital form. It typically appears after major surgery, especially after cancer treatments in which lymph nodes and lymphatic vessels are removed or irradiated with X-rays. In acquired lymphedema the skin looks healthy but is puffy or swollen.
Congenital lymphedema is much more common in women than men.
It can occur because an individual has an inadequate number of lymphatic vessels to handle the amount of lymph generated by the body. It almost always affects the legs, and rarely the arms. There is no cure for lymphedema. For people with mild lymphedema compression, bandages can reduce the swelling. Once the swelling has been reduced, the individual must wear elastic stockings up to the knee every day, from the moment of rising until bedtime.