Discover the Many Health Benefits of Manual Lymph Drainage

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Brief Overview of Manual Lymph Drainage (MLD)

Manual Lymph Drainage (MLD) is a versatile treatment.  Because the lymph system interacts with almost every other system in the body, facilitating healthy lymph flow has the potential to impact all of those systems.  Typically, your lymphatic system, which runs beside your circulatory system, and in your digestive tract, collects the lymph and returns it to your heart via a network of vessels and nodes.  Unlike your circulatory system however, the lymph system doesn't have it's own pump -- it relies on your muscles contracting and releasing to help move the fluid through it's vessels.  When something disrupts this process, lymph collects in your arms, legs, ankles or other parts of your body, making them swell. MLD techniques move the lymph from your tissues into the lymph nodes, which reduces the swelling. *  Your lymph system also runs through your head, including your brain, and when it is impeded, it can lead to things like brain fog.  

Manual Lymph Drainage can be beneficial in a surprising number of ways.  It

• Facilitates healing and improved circulation
•  Reduces swelling and fluid retention
• Speeds recovery from surgery (e.g. joint replacement, breast surgery (both related to breast cancer, and otherwise), cancer surgeries, c-section, liposuction, and disease or injury related surgeries)
• Provides pain relief
• Enhances immune function
• Promotes relaxation and helps with stress reduction
• Eases headaches and sinus pressure
• Improves sleep quality
• Facilitates concussion recovery and 
• Treats lymphedema related to health conditions like Chronic Venous Insufficiency, Fibromyalgia, Lipedema, and Rheumatoid Arthritis.  Some studies also suggest that MLD may improve pain and other symptoms for people with fibromyalgia.  

MLD is also a popular cosmetic treatment.  Facial MLD my increase blood circulation and reduce puffiness in your face, leaving you with a glowing complexion. It can also help with skin conditions like acne, dryness, or rosacea. *

Studies also show that Facial and Head MLD may have beneficial effects in reducing some of the symptoms of Parkinsons, Alzheimers, and Brain Fog.

That all seems too good to be true... but... it works because the lymph system is your body's water reclamation and transportation system.  Every cell in your body produces metabolic waste as it does its work.  That waste goes into the lymph system, which transports it back into the blood stream to be taken to the kidneys, and filtered.  When that system gets clogged, there is nowhere for the new waste to go.  It pools in your tissues and you get swelling (edema).  It also accumulates, creating an unhealthy environment for your cells to do their jobs.  Depending on the area of obstruction, you can experience a myriad of symptoms.  Removing the obstruction allows for better lymph movement, and better outcomes.   (See below for more details)

Unfortunately, the longer lymph sits where it should be flowing, the more severe the challenges.  But even where lamp has been stagnant for years, even where you have what is called Pitting Edema, Manual Lymph Drainage can improve the flow.  Like most things, the longer it's been there, the more sessions it is likely to take to fully clear the issue.  

Sometimes, if we clear the symptom but don't address the cause, MLD can only offer temporary relief for some issues.  But for many many issues, a course of MLD can resolve the problem completely.

What to expect during your session

You'll be lying on a massage table, where you'll receive light, gentle touch that moves your skin without engaging the muscles beneath it.  While it's possible to do this through clothes, it's much easier with actual skin contact.   For most sessions, even those intended to target a specific area, we'll first address the major lymph nodes -- you can't clear fluid into a blocked node, and having the whole system moving well makes it easier to move things through a more clogged area.  Thereafter, the session will vary slightly depending on the purpose for which you're seeking the treatment.  But in all cases, you'll experience gentle touch in repeated patterns to encourage the healthy flow of lymph throughout your body.  In some cases, particularly post surgical treatment or long standing edema, you will also have your affected limb carefully measured before the treatment begins so that we can track your progress over time.  Additionally, you may receive a specific compression bandage to help maintain the progress - when that is the case, you'll be taught how to put the bandage back on again, so that you can remove it for sleep and bathing.

Please wear/bring shorts and a sleeveless shirt to facilitate easy access to your skin. If you cannot do this, you'll be asked to remove your clothing and lie under a sheet.  

Some people do experience some discomfort after an MLD session.  This may include fatigue, headaches or nausea; but those symptoms generally dissipate fairly quickly.

MLD is contraindicated for people with blood clots, cellulitis, Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), Fever, Heart Disease (unless cleared by their doctor), Infection, Kidney Failure or Stroke.  It may also be contraindicated during chemo-therapy - ask your oncologist whether it's safe to receive MLD, and at what point during your chemo cycles it will be most beneficial.

Specific Conditions

Pre- and Post surgical care.  While many people think of getting MLD after surgery to reduce swelling at the surgical site or in the affected limb, it is actually beneficial to receive MLD before surgery to make sure that your lymph system is working optimally prior to the disruption that is inevitable when a scalpel cuts through the lymph vessels.   After surgery, MLD can reduce the initial swelling, and improve the speed at which the surgical wound heals.  First, by encouraging lymph flow, MLD helps remove the accumulation of fluid that creates the swelling.  Then, because the improved flow removes the metabolic waste and cellular debris from the surgical field, there is more room for fresh clean lymph (and blood flow) to the surgical site.  The number of sessions you'll need depends a lot on the type of surgery, and the amount you're able to move around generally.

Pain Relief

MLD can reduce pain by stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system and by removing pain mediators from tissues.

Stress Reduction

MLD has a calming effect on the body.  It  helps the body transition from the sympathetic nervous system ("fight, flight, freeze or fawn") into the parasympathetic nervous system ("rest, digest, heal, and grow"). This, in turn reduces your heart rate and blood pressure and allows you to respond more intentionally to your environment.  Of course, MLD cant do anything to change the environment in which you live or work, but it can help you handle it with greater ease.

Enhance Immune Function

MLD helps they lymphatic system move lymph through the body, thus allowing it to transport waste products and toxins to the body's natural filters.  That, in turn, promotes immune function, and may aid in the body's defense against infection.

* Cleveland Clinic