Lymphedema is an abnormal swelling of the arm, leg or other body part due to an excessive build up of fluid called lymph. In the U.S. today, one third of all patients develop lymphedema after mastectomy. This condition affects both men and women who receive lymph node dissection, radiation, injury or infection. Some individuals may be born with the swelling and others get it for no apparent reason.

The lymphedema program at Allied Rehab and Heinz Rehab provides comprehensive rehab care to patients with acute to chronic lymphedema. Our credentialed staff has experience in managing lymphedema and its complications from mild to very severe. Staff has attended advance training and several are certified in the Vodder Technique, as well as by the Lymphedema Association of North America (LANA).

Symptoms of lymphedema include swelling of head, trunk, abdomen, genitals, a limb or part of a limb. Other symptoms include a feeling of heaviness in the limb, the skin feeling tight, a decrease in the flexibility of the limb, and difficulty fitting into clothing.

Conditions Treated

Specialty Services

Continuum of Care

To provide the best care possible for patients recovering from a debilitating condition or injury, Allied Services provides a comprehensive, seamless continuum of rehabilitative care. Our outpatient programs are primarily for people living safely at home who have completed or did not require a post-acute inpatient stay, but require additional rehabilitative therapy to alleviate physical limitation or pain.

If a patient suffering from a debilitating condition or injury requires intensive, around-the-clock nursing and/or therapy services, but cannot tolerate or does not require the intensity of therapy delivered during an inpatient rehab hospital stay, or their insurance does not cover inpatient rehabilitation, they would be an appropriate candidate for a transitional or long-term stay at our skilled nursing facility. Conversely, if the patient requires 24-hour care and can tolerate the intensity of a stay at one of our rehabilitation hospitals, they would be best suited for a stay at one of our inpatient facilities.

Patient Outcomes

At Allied Services, patient outcome metrics such as average number of visits, pain reduction, reduced function limitation, and likelyhood of recommending Allied Services to others, are among the best in the United States:

• 98% of our outpatient population reported that their overall rating of care received was either good or very good.
• 97% of our outpatient population reported that they would recommend out services to others.
• 93% of our outpatient population reported that they either had no pain or a decrease in their pain during their treatment.

Our rehabilitation facilities regularly outperform other rehabilitation providers nationwide. According to statistics compiled by the Uniform Data System for Medical Rehabilitation, Allied Services ranks in the top 4% of 892 rehabilitation centers in the United States.

Referrals & Insurance

Patients need a prescription from their doctor in order to enroll in the hand and upper extremity program at Allied Rehab and Heinz Rehab. Insurance coverage for this program is provided by most health insurance policies. For specific questions on how to obtain a referral or health insurance coverage, please call (570) 826-3900 (Wilkes-Barre and the surrounding areas) or (570) 348-1360 (Scranton and the surrounding areas).