Kinesio Tapes Reduce Swelling in Hands

Gregory F. Caffiero is an occupational therapist with a focus in hand therapy. A certified hand therapist, Gregory Caffiero is the clinic manager at Maui Hand Therapy LLC, where he provides care to people with hand, wrist, and arm conditions and injuries. One of the therapies the clinic administers is Kinesio tape to reduce edema (swelling) in the hands.

Kinesio tape is a powerful therapy used by athletes to relieve pain and swelling. It is the long stripes of colored tape you often see on the arms, shoulders, and legs of athletes. The tape is flexible and latex free. It is applied onto the skin of an injured area to promote localized circulation through the circulatory and lymphatic systems. Both of these promote healing.

The circulatory system comprises blood vessels that circulate blood throughout the body, while the lymphatic system comprises lymph vessels that transport lymphatic fluid throughout the body. Blood nourishes organs and tissues with oxygen and nutrients, while the lymphatic system removes cellular debris, toxins, and excess fluids from these tissues.

When a person is injured, the area of the injury typically becomes inflamed and is sometimes painful. A therapist can apply Kinesio tape on the injured area to lift the skin, creating a zone of negative pressure in the underlying surface. This causes blood and lymph vessels in the area to dilate, pooling blood and lymphatic fluid. The fresh blood oxygenates and nourishes tissues to promote healing while the lymphatic fluid removes damaged cells. When they are removed, swelling and pain are reduced.

Dysphagia Symptoms and When to Seek Medical Attention

A certified hand therapist, Gregory F. Caffiero leads Maui Hand Therapy, LLC. Gregory Caffiero draws on over a decade of experience in rehabilitation of the upper extremities. As an occupational therapist, he is also certified in dysphagia, which makes him qualified to evaluate and provide intervention in the eating process.

Dysphagia is the medical term for difficulty swallowing, which occurs when extra time and effort is required by a person to move liquid or solid food from their mouth to their stomach. Occasional difficulty swallowing, which sometimes happens when a person eats too fast or doesn’t chew their food sufficiently, is otherwise normal and does not translate to a health problem. If this occurs frequently, however, a medical examination may be recommended. Dysphagia sometimes causes pain while swallowing (odynophagia), and for some people, swallowing may become impossible.

Although it is more prevalent among older adults, dysphagia can occur at any age. Aside from the aforementioned symptoms, dysphagia may also present with drooling, frequent heartburn, gagging, or coughing (when swallowing), and hoarseness, as well as the sensation of food getting stuck in the throat or chest.

Medical attention should be sought if these symptoms occur frequently or are accompanied by regurgitation, vomiting, or weight loss. Emergency care is crucial if the dysphagia obstructs breathing or leads to food getting stuck in the throat or chest.