Proper Dosing for Complete Decongestive Therapy in the Treatment of Lymphedema
Complete Decongestive Therapy (CDT) consists of two phases. Phase I, known as the intensive or decongestive phase, involves treating the patient until the affected body part is cleared of congestion. When the measurements of the affected body part reach a stable level, the patient can be moved to Phase II—the self-management phase. At this stage, the patient becomes responsible for preserving and enhancing the treatment outcomes achieved in the first phase.