| Page updated 8/1/09 |
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Lymphland International Lymphedema Online
| Lymphstar Pro and other machines like it There has been alot around the internet lately regarding the Lymph Star Pro and other various types of lymph promoting machines that are supposed to help with Manual Lymph Drainage. I'd love to see responses from those who tried them. What I've found out is: They all seem to tell you about the wonderful benefits, how to use it, who should use it, the history of where and how the machine came about, testimonials, and even one site that directs you to the FDA stating they have met regulations as of 8/1/05, but there is no listing for them on that site. There are also no studies, clinical trials, or research articles/information on any of the products like this. Alot of the sites outright state something like this: ''No health claims are made with these products. If you have any ailments, please consult a physician. The products listed on this page are not toys and are considered therapeutic. There are no returns on any of these items except for special situations'' These machines range in price from $1,000 on up with the most common ones like the Lymph Star Pro ranking in at about $200.00. That is alot of money to buy something to try when there are no clinicals supporting the product. The Lymph Star was said to be listd on the FDA site (which you would think if it was FDA approved it would be ok to use right?) which again it is not, but the interesting thing is it's listed as a Class 1 Medical Device. The FDA defines a Class 1 device as ''The Medical Device Amendments of 1976 to the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act established three regulatory classes for medical devices. The three classes are based on the degree of control necessary to assure the various types of devices are safe and effective. Class I These devices present minimal potential for harm to the user and are often simpler in design than Class II or Class III devices. Examples include enema kits and elastic bandages. 47% of medical devices fall under this category and 95% of these are exempt from the regulatory process. Does a Class 1 device that is not listed even as recently being approved by the FDA at all, sound appealing to you to use? What do you all think? Are you willing to try something at that price? Are you willing to use a device that is not FDA regulated and risk harm? ________________________________________________________________ THE CHI MACHINE http://www.chimachine4u.com/lymphoedema.html This is the Sun website for the machine, they have oodles of lymphedema patient testimonies. They also claim that 15 minutes on the machine equals 1 hour of Manual Lymph Drainage. http://www.chimachine4u.com/chimedical.html this is the research and clinicals they have done. http://google.fda.gov/search? output=xml_no_dtd&oe=&lr=&proxystylesheet=FDA&client=FDA&site=FDA&restr ict=&getfields=*&q=chi+machine&as=Search Above is the FDA information I found on the Chi Machine, the company site has been written up for some interesting claims about some of their products in the past, would you trust them? I actually had the opportunity to try the Chi Machine. I tried it twice. The first time was at my therapists office, I was on it 5 minutes, no difference in swelling although my leg did feel warmer. The 2nd time was 5 minutes and nothing happened. it's always best to check out quackwatch and the FDA websites before deciding to purchase or use a machine. Quackwatch has not yet posted Chi information. One thing to watch for is the device class and what it claims to do. You could say ultrasound helps lymphedema. In a roundabout way it might contribute to lymph flow but ultrasound therapy helps loosen tight muscles and muscle contractions help move lymph so when the muscle is working properly lymph will flow better so in a roundabout way it helps lymph. ______________________________________________________________ Swimming and bubble therapy are popular for Lymphedema. Hot tubs and spas if not too warm can help lymph flow. One must be careful of hot tub lung, which is treatable, but similiar to the flu. The Mayo Clinic warns that bacterium bubbling in water and mist can be inhaled and infect lungs and cause serious illnesses. Clean your hot tub system frequently and change all the water at least once a month. ______________________________________________________________ |