Flexitouch at Home
The Flexitouch system allows you to treat your lymphedema in the comfort and convenience of your home. While you relax, the automated device simulates the process of manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) therapy, so you can maintain the benefits of in-clinic treatment to improve your health and enjoy a better quality of life.
Getting Started
When your Flexitouch system arrives, a trainer will be available to help you set up and use the device in your home. You will also receive a DVD or VHS tape and an Instructions for Use Manual to assist you.
What to Expect
During the treatment session, the chambers of the garments will inflate and deflate as they clear the congested or swollen areas and direct the fluid to the unaffected lymphatic regions. Most patients find the experience relaxing and enjoyable, with sensations similar to that of a therapist’s hand movements during MLD. Treatment session times vary but a standard treatment takes as little as one hour per day.
Important Tips for Using the Flexitouch System
- Wear loose-fitting, lightweight clothes, such as scrubs or pajamas.
- Avoid eating a full meal immediately before the treatment session.
- Use the restroom before treatment to avoid interrupting the session.
- Find a comfortable place to lie down (supine) such as a bed or a couch.
- Avoid sitting up or standing once treatment has begun.
- Breathe deeply throughout the session.
- Feel free to watch TV, listen to music, talk on the phone or just relax.
Instructions for Use Manual [PDF]
Reimbursement
More than 280 healthcare plans and government agencies, including Medicare, provide insurance coverage for the Flexitouch system. Our dedicated staff of reimbursement specialists handles all the details, from verifying benefits to securing authorization for reimbursement. Learn More >
Caregivers and the Flexitouch System
Patients often need ongoing emotional support and physical assistance to maintain their daily lymphedema treatment routine. Caregivers and spouses play an important role in the success of at-home lymphedema self-management. Caregivers must understand that lymphedema must be managed and treated on a daily basis to preserve treatment gains and minimize symptoms. They should offer support to help the patient maintain this essential lifelong commitment to their health. Caregivers may offer assistance in donning and doffing the Flexitouch garments and operating the controller. They may also offer assistance in maintaining a treatment schedule and taking over childcare and/or other household duties to enable the patient to experience regular relaxing and uninterrupted treatment sessions to maximize the benefits of Flexitouch therapy.
Upon receipt of a Flexitouch system, a certified Flexitouch trainer will contact you and offer set-up and training on the Flexitouch system in your home. You will also receive an instructional video and an illustrated Instructions for Use manual with the Flexitouch device. It is helpful to have the caregivers and/or spouse present at the in-home training session so that all become familiar with proper device operation, appropriate patient positioning, and optimal treatment tips to maximize therapeutic benefit of Flexitouch treatment.