Method for assessing and preferably ameliorating the symptoms of a medical condition, optionally lymphedema, comprising obtaining a preferably both electrically powered and portable treatment apparatus capable of contacting, via a treatment head, a target area on the skin of a patient and introducing low-pressure suction thereto, wherein the apparatus, preferably the treatment head thereof, contains at least one sensor element to measure at least one physiological characteristic regarding the tissue underlying the target area of the patient, preferably indicative of fluid content thereof, and applying the treatment apparatus to the patient to measure said at least one physiological characteristic. A treatment apparatus for executing the method is presented.
