Complete Decongestive Therapy (CDT)

What is CDT?

Complete Decongestive Therapy is the most well-known treatment that CLTs provide for patients with lymphedema. It is comprised of 5 main elements of treatment:

• Manual lymphatic drainage

• Compression bandaging

• Compression garments

• Remedial exercises

• Skin care and infection prevention

After your initial evaluation, we will work together to set a plan of care. For the best results, we recommend three to five CDT sessions per week, for the first month. During this initial period, we bandage patients as much as possible to help reduce swelling. In the second month, we transition patients to fewer visits each week, take measurements and order compression garments, and discharge patients when they are ready. Compression garments are used to help maintain progress made during treatment, and facilitate greater independent self-care.