Manual Lymphatic Drainage has powerful cleansing, relaxing, pain relieving and immunological effects. In its manual form, it is a gentle, flowing, rhythmic massage. In any form, it can be applied to a wide range of pathologies, to great effect.
How Does Manual Lymphatic Drainage Work?
Manual Lymphatic drainage is used primarily to promote the optimal functioning of the lymphatic vessels that feed into the circulatory system. MLD techniques facilitate the removal of metabolic wastes, excess water, toxins, bacteria, large protein molecules and foreign substances from tissue via the initial lymph vessels and the venous capillaries.
MLD relaxes the sympathetic nervous system, reduces pain, and enhances the activity of the immune system. It is effective in the treatment of a wide variety of problems including oedema, skin disorders, headache, sinus congestion, sprains and aches, stress, digestive disorders, and before and after surgery to remove tissue congestion and minimize scar formation. It is particularly useful as part of post-mastectomy therapy, to reduce oedema and fibrosis and to relieve pain and tension.
Western culture’s diet of highly processed foods, stress the lymphatic system with excess wastes and toxins. Coupled with this and not enough fluid intake, most of us have sluggish lymphatic systems. This causes more anaerobic metabolism to occur, with more waste products and less energy. A self-perpetuating cycle begins. For this reason, any client can benefit from lymph drainage as part of a general detox program. It can improve energy, increase cellular oxygenation and nourishment as well as build immunity.
Lymph flow is stimulated by a number of elements, including internal stimulation, arterial pulse, respiration, peristalsis and exercise. Exercise and deep breathing are two ways that you can stimulate the lymph flow yourself.
MLD is extremely gentle and feels wonderful and relaxing. The majority of patients either fall asleep or go into a highly relaxed state, due to the slow, gentle rhythmic motions involved. These techniques stimulate the movement of lymph through the lymph vessels.
Manual Lymphatic Drainage Is A Slower Therapy
PLEASE NOTE: Be aware that it is a much slower form of massage than the Swedish or Therapeutic massage that I use elsewhere and therefore you cannot perform MLD on the whole body in less than 90 – 120 mins. However it is fine to have MLD which concentrates on one area or just to perform MLD on the back or front of the body at one time.