When to seek medical care

Call 911 for sudden shortness of breath, chest pain or coughing up blood. Contact your surgeon or doctor the same day for one-sided painful swelling, spreading redness, fever, or a wound that opens or smells. If you aren't sure, call Health Link at 811 to speak with a registered nurse, any time of day.

Contact your surgeon or doctor the same day for

• A possible blood clot (DVT) or inflamed vein. One calf, leg or arm that is suddenly more swollen, painful, warm, red or heavy than the other, or a tender, red, cord-like vein.
• A possible infection. Spreading redness, skin that feels hot, red streaks, fever or chills. With lymphedema, infections such as cellulitis can escalate quickly and need prompt antibiotics.
• Wound concerns. An incision that opens, cloudy, coloured or foul-smelling drainage, or pain that gets worse after it had been improving.
• A fever over 38°C, chills, a racing heart or sudden exhaustion after surgery.
• Skin that turns dark, dusky, purple or grey near an incision or over a treated area.
• Swelling that looks different. A squishy, sloshing pocket (possible seroma) or a firm, painful, quickly growing lump (possible hematoma).

Each of our procedure-specific recovery guides lists the warning signs for that surgery. Keep yours somewhere easy to find.

Book a doctor’s appointment for

• New swelling that doesn’t go away, especially in one limb
• Swelling in both legs or ankles, especially with breathlessness, fatigue, or a heart, kidney or vein condition. This kind of swelling often starts outside the lymphatic system and needs a doctor to find the cause.
• Any swelling in an arm, breast, chest or leg after cancer treatment
• Heavy, tender, symmetrical legs you suspect might be lipedema
• Skin changes in a swollen area: thickening, hardening or wounds that won’t heal
• Anything getting worse instead of better

Not sure? Call Health Link

In Alberta, Health Link at 811 connects you with a registered nurse, 24 hours a day, who can help you decide where to go.

How we look out for you

Dr. Bruno Chikly, whose method our team trains in, is clear on this point: any condition must be diagnosed by a physician. At every appointment, we check in on how you are feeling and what has changed. If something concerns us, we pause treatment and refer you to your surgeon or doctor. That isn’t us being overly cautious. It is us doing our job.

I would much rather you call your surgeon about something that turns out to be nothing than sit at home worrying. You will never be “that patient” to us for asking.

Meeghan Mackenzie, RMT, CLT

Page reviewed September 27, 2026 by Meeghan Mackenzie, RMT, CLT