To explore the effect of reinforcing healthy qi,regulating qi and draining water in the postoperative complications of breast cancer by internal and external application of Xiaozhong Tongluo Prescription to the treatment of upper limb lymphedema after breast cancer surgery,so as to provide clinical evidence for tumor rehabilitation in traditional Chinese medicine(TCM).Methods:A prospective cohort study was conducted on 92 patients with upper limb lymphedema after breast cancer surgery.They were divided into a treatment group and a control group according to the use of TCM treatment.The treatment group received physical therapy combined with the Xiaozhong Tongluo Prescription for internal and external application,while the control group received physical therapy alone.Changes in the circumference of the affected upper arm,the clinical symptoms of the patients and their quality of life were observed.Results:Xiaozhong Tongluo Prescription guided by reinforcing healthy qi,regulating qi and draining water and taken internally and externally combined with physical therapy,was better than the physical therapy alone in improving upper limb lymphedema(89.6% vs 70.5%).The scores of the clinical symptoms after treatment were decreased compared with those before treatment(P<0.05 or P<0.01),and compared with the conditions in the control group at the same period,the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).The Karnofsky score(KPS) in the treatment group was significantly higher than that in the control group.Conclusion:The physical therapy combined with reinforcing healthy qi,regulating qi and draining water could relieve the upper limb lymphedema after breast cancer,alleviate clinical symptoms such as fatigue,nausea,vomiting,pain,sleep disorders,loss of appetite and abnormal stool,and improve the quality of life of the patients,embodying the characteristics of coherence of body and mind and simultaneous treatment of internal and external symptoms.