Guide to Contraindications of Pressotherapy

But beware, as innocuous as it may seem, pressotherapy is not indicated in certain cases and an increase in lymphatic and blood flow could be counterproductive. Yes, it seems unbelievable and paradoxical, that when carried out externally, lymphatic drainage has such a profound impact, right?

So just as we can't ignore any condition or disease, we shouldn't take pressotherapy lightly.

We have already mentioned some of the main contraindications in other articles, but in this one, we are exclusively dedicated to this matter. Something like a guide to contraindications for pressotherapy, as complete as possible.

Obviously, it is not a medical guide, much less an encyclopedia, but it is an orientation on the contraindications that must be taken more into account and the type of specialist you should consult if you suffer from any of these problems.

Always it is good to speak with a medical professional about the possible contraindications of pressotherapy. Go ahead with the guide to contraindications of pressotherapy...

Contraindications of pressotherapy in circulatory problems

• Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT): The massage could displace the thrombus to another area of the body and cause worse consequences.
• Phlebitis: It is a venous inflammation accompanied by blood clots. By applying presotherapy, we run the same risk as if we suffer thrombosis.
• Deep pelvic vein thrombosis: For the same reason as with the two previous conditions, the thrombus could move.
• Atherosclerosis: Pressotherapy could rupture blood vessels or spread the thrombi that accompany this ailment.
• Hypertension: Presotherapy can increase an already high blood pressure.
• Hypotension: The opposite of hypertension. In certain cases, a low-pressure massage can facilitate a slow and insufficient venous return, but it is better to consult a cardiologist or angiologist (specialist in the venous and arterial system) before using pressure therapy.
• Venous Insufficiency III: Stage 3 venous insufficiency is already severe severe and chronic. He has generally developed varicose disease -permanent dilation of the veins-, an alteration in the venous valves and thrombosis.

Contraindications of pressotherapy in liver and kidney problems and viral / bacterial inflammations

• Liver failure: Malfunctioning of the liver, generally caused by the Hepatitis virus or taking medications such as Acetaminophen. You should not use pressotherapy until the virus has been eradicated or liver function has been corrected.
• Renal insufficiency: Liver failure often leads to kidney failure as well or may have other causes. Pressotherapy could help but also make the situation worse. Its use is risky in the event of severe insufficiency or if you are undergoing dialysis to remove urine that your kidneys cannot process. In this process, part of the lymphatic fluid – lymph – is also filtered, so increasing drainage already enhanced by dialysis could further unbalance your lymphatic system. The specialist you should consult is the nephrologist.
• Urinary or bladder infection: As with any other infection, pressotherapy can spread and further stimulate the infection.
• Diabetes: A chronic and very delicate problem. Depending on the type and general state of health, pressotherapy may or may not go well. While many diabetics with a stable condition and healthy skin benefit from massage, there are significant risks.
  A massage that covers a large part of the body can alter blood sugar and even trigger a hypoglycemic episode. There are studies that show a drop of between 20 and 40 points. And be careful if there is peripheral neuropathy.
  It affects the nervous sensitivity, being able to cause pain or, on the contrary, not allow the pressure exerted to be perceived. A high percentage of people with diabetes also suffer from neuropathies, especially those who have been suffering from the disease for 25 years or more. Lack of sensation or intense pain usually affects nerves furthest from the brain – in the extremities – so it can be risky to use pressotherapy. Be sure to consult an endocrinologist.
• Acute inflammation: Some viruses, bacteria, poisons, or allergens cause acute inflammation with redness, pain, and fever in the affected area. The infection must be treated before the lymphatic drainage removes contaminants, viruses, or bacteria into the lymphatic channels and spreads through the body, since the body has its own elimination system through phagocytosis, which is the process by which certain cells digest harmful particles.

Contraindications of pressotherapy in heart problems

No heart disease or coronary disease tolerates pressotherapy, since it stimulates circulation and demands a greater effort from the heartYou should also abstain if you have an implanted pacemaker.

• Angina pectoris: Disease caused by deterioration and obstruction of the arteries of the heart (coronary arteriosclerosis), by accumulating cholesterol and lipids – fats – in them, preventing the heart from receiving enough blood.
  As it happens with the hypertension, which can also contribute to angina, pressotherapy is not recommended as it requires extra effort from a failing heart.

Contraindications of pressotherapy in abdominal problems

There is a risk of increasing a disturbance in the intestines when suffering from intestinal inflammation or obstruction, diverticulosis, or irritation or infection in the bladder.

• Abdominal aortic aneurysm: It happens when the lower part of the body's main artery, the aorta, becomes weak and inflamed. If it's your problem, you run the risk of arterial rupture. This can cause severe and persistent abdominal pain, pain in the back, buttocks and legs, cause dizziness, nausea, vomiting, sweating and cold or low blood pressure. It is also a circulatory problem, so medical and even surgical intervention is required before pressotherapy can be used.
• Leaky Gut: When you lose bacterial flora, the toxins break through the tissues of the intestine and migrate out of it. This condition can be punctual or caused by greater evils. If there is no more serious disease such as lymphoma, you should be able to restore your flora and balance the bacterial population before using pressotherapy. It could also have caused abdominal edema. It is the body's way of protecting its tissues and organs. This edema is delicate because all the toxins that have passed through the intestines are floating in it. Be careful because we can make the situation worse. In severe cases, a cannula could be inserted to extract the liquid. It is advisable to consult a gastroenterologist.
• Diverticulosis: It occurs when bacteria or feces become trapped in the colon or large intestine. It is characterized by a bacterial imbalance and causes abdominal pain, fever and irregularity in the transit and evacuation of feces. Half of the population suffers from it after the age of 60. We must consult a gastroenterologist.

Contraindications of pressotherapy in lymphatic diseases

• Lymphedema: Accumulation of lymphatic fluid in the tissues. It can be primary or congenital that entails a deficit of lymphatic vessels and lymph. Thus, other tissues do not receive enough. It can be from birth or appear at different ages. Or it can be secondary benign or malignant. The benign one can be caused by inflammation, trauma, drug treatment or parasites and the malignant one, due to a tumor that compresses the lymphatic vessels. Women who have suffered from breast cancer and whose lymphatic vessels have been destroyed by surgery often suffer from secondary lymphedema.
  Depending on each case, pressotherapy can be used or not. Other lymphatic problems can include infections, blockages, or cancer. If you have lymphatic problems, consult an angiologist or a vascular surgeon specialized in lymphatic pathologies. In this guide to contraindications of pressotherapy you will find other pathologies.

Contraindications of pressotherapy in other diseases

• Sudeck's Disease or Inflammation: It is a complex regional pain syndrome that affects the extremities (feet, legs, arms, and hands). The cause may have been a disease or injury that indirectly damaged a nerve in the affected area. This type of intense pain does not usually tolerate pressotherapy massage well.
• Scleroderma: It is a complex association of diseases that can affect only the skin or various organs and systems. One of its common manifestations is the hardening and stretching of the skin and connective tissues. It also often damages blood vessels. Therefore, pressotherapy is not indicated.
• Spastic paresis: It is a rare paraplegic disease that can be hereditary. It consists of motor neuronal degeneration, causing muscle rigidity, causing even the fingers to permanently retract and the progressive weakening of arms and legs.
  
  So well thePressotherapy as well as various physiotherapy treatments can greatly help people with many types of paraplegia or paralysis., it is better to consult a specialized doctor before having pressure therapy as another rehabilitation tool.
  
  The therapeutic approach to this type of paralysis usually involves a multidisciplinary team made up of neurologists, physiotherapists and traumatologists.
• Tuberculosis: Infection caused by a bacterium that forms nodules or tubercles in the tissues, affecting different organs and especially the lungs. Among its symptoms, fever is one of them. We cannot apply pressotherapy while there is any bacterial infection and fever precisely indicates infection of any type. We must consult the pulmonologist.

Contraindications of pressotherapy in skin or tissue problems

• Acute eczema, skin eruptions, sores, tissue damage - in tissues - as in the case of dermatolipisclerosis, leg ulcers or open wounds, both external and internal - caused by surgery - can worsen with pressure therapy.
• Nor should you apply it to an area that has received punctures or injections. Pressotherapy stimulates lymphatic and blood circulation, being able to spread any infection. Consult a rheumatologist if you have suffered a broken bone or have osteoporosis before using pressotherapy.
• Tattoos: If you have recently been tattooed, it is better to wait a while for the skin and tissues to recover from the puncture and inflammation. If you do not suffer from any health problem, an already recovered tattooed skin is not incompatible with the prisoner!

Contraindications of pressotherapy in hormonal alterations

• Hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism: Alteration of the thyroid gland, located in the neck. The first means that there is less hormonal productivity and the second that there is more. Your hormones determine the rate and function of your entire metabolism. Pressotherapy can be done if the problem is under control. There are pharmacological treatments that compensate or stabilize the hormonal production of this gland. Hyperthyroidism can also cause angina, and both problems may be linked.

Contraindications of pressotherapy in Cancer and oncological treatments

If you have cancer or a malignant tumor or are undergoing cancer treatment, pressotherapy is not for you. It could facilitate the release of more free radicals and even speed up metastasis.

• Neoplasia: Abnormal formation in any part of the body of a tumor tissue that can be benign or malignant. It is not always synonymous with cancer. Until its nature is determined, we will not know for sure if we can use pressotherapy. The oncologist is the specialist in cancer and tumors who can clear us up.

Contraindications of pressotherapy in children and adolescents

Pressotherapy can only be used from 18 years of age. This is the age at which today we reach biological maturity on average. Before, the body is still developing and hormone production is unstable.

Contraindications of pressotherapy in the 3rd Age

From the age of 70, pressotherapy can be applied but at a pressure below 120 mmHg. Depending on the health of each person, a geriatrician may advise on this.

Contraindications of pressotherapy in obese people

An adult person with a body mass index – BMI – between 30 and 39.9 is considered obese. A 40 or higher, is already talking about extreme obesity. And when the overweight is even greater, we are facing morbid obesity. Pressotherapy not only would not cause any noticeable effect in these physical conditions, but associated with obesity there are multiple problems with circulation, lymphatics, heart, etc.

An obese person should immediately put themselves in the hands of an endocrinologist. In various phases, your treatment will also involve extensive diet, exercise, and finally surgery. Only with an ideal weight or with a few extra kilos is pressotherapy advisable and offers visible and palpable results.

Possible adverse effects of presotherapy:

On rare occasions and depending on each condition, high pressure can cause muscle pain or slight irritation -redness- in some areas where compression garments have been in more contact with the skin.

We hope that this guide to contraindications for pressotherapy has been useful and illustrative. The greatest commitment of SIZEN is that people benefit from their pressotherapy always with a responsible use with respect to their health and physical condition. Now you know that in certain cases your body could tolerate and even appreciate a pressotherapy treatment, but in others it is better to abstain.

This guide has also been written in order to clear up doubts when purchasing pressure therapy equipment for home, either for you or for another person whose state of health is not entirely satisfactory and you believe that it can improve thanks to a better lymphatic drainage and circulation.

In any case, we wish you and your loved ones a long life accompanied by the best possible health. Up to this point, the pressotherapy contraindications guide has undoubtedly clarified a lot of possible doubts about the uses of pressotherapy.