In the third part of a series on lymphoedema, Joanne Jones discusses the four main cornerstones of care—skin care; exercise and movement; compression; and lympathic drainage—and how these can enhance care givers' skills Managing non-complex chronic oedema and lymphoedema

Lymphoedema and chronic oedema are closely intertwined, with subtle physiological differences separating them. Both are long-term chronic conditions and managing them effectively ensures the best outcome for patients. Increasing age is a factor in these conditions and the management of non-complex chronic oedema and lymphoedema is set out in this article. Chronic oedema and lymphoedema are caused by a variety of mechanisms (Hampton, 2010). Chronic oedema is said to be a swelling which does not reduce, with diuretics and elevation at night, and persists for more than 3 months (Hardy, 2010). Chronic oedema can be caused by many factors such as: z z Immobility z z Obesity z z Cancer treatments