Lymphatic Drainage

Lymphatic drainage is a therapeutic method that uses massage-like manipulations to stimulate lymph movement. Lymph is the plasma-like fluid that maintains the body's fluid balance and removes bacteria. Combined with other techniques of massage therapy, it is used to treat lymphedema, (swelling in the limbs caused by lymph accumulation). It is said that lymph drainage is beneficial to the nervous, immune and muscular systems.

Description

Lymphatic drainage is accomplished by gentle, rhythmic massage following the direction of lymph flow. Mild stretching movements are used on the walls of lymph collectors to redirect the flow away from blocked areas into other vessels that drain into the veins. This massage action is often combined with other elements of complex decongestive therapy, which include:

• bandages
• dietary changes
• skin and nail care to prevent infection
• therapeutic exercise
• special compression sleeves, stockings, and other garments
• patient-applied lymphatic drainage and bandaging techniques
• light-beam generators to stimulate lymphatic drainage

Precautions

Any patient who has undergone cancer surgery and experiences sudden swelling after lymphatic drainage should stop treatment and be examined by a medical doctor. Treatment should also be stopped if infection of the lymphatic vessels occurs. Congestive heart failure patients who may not be able to tolerate excessive movement of lymph need close monitoring also. If any pain is associated with lymphatic drainage, the treatment should stop until either the source is discovered or the pain goes away.