Because of its potential health advantages, lymph drainage massage has become more popular. It focuses on supporting the body's lymphatic system, fluid balance, and normal blood circulation.
The lymphatic system is like a filter system of your body. It consists of nodes and tubes with a lymphatic fluid made up of proteins, water, waste materials, and immune system components. And there are lymph nodes all across the body that filter this fluid and return "clean" lymph to the veins that carry blood back to the heart.
Types of Lymphatic Drainage Massage
Only four types of lymphatic drainage massage are commonly used by physical therapists, massage therapists, and doctors.
The Vodder technique uses various sweeping motions around the area the therapist is treating.
Foldi, an extension of the Vodder technique, requires the massage therapist to alternate circular hand motions and relaxation. Another type of massage involving circular hand motions called
Casley-Smith technique. With this approach, the sides and palms of the hands are primarily used. With the Leduc technique, the lymph fluid is collected through hand motions before rerouting for reabsorption into the wider lymphatic system.
All of these techniques require stretching the skin of your body in the direction of lymph flow with gentle movements. Massage must be initiated with the limb closest to the chest and work the way outward. The procedure usually takes 15-60 minutes.
Before having a lymphatic drainage massage, consult with your doctor and ensure that an experienced professional is treating it.
Benefits of Lymphatic Drainage Massage
If you experience lymphedema, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), or fibromyalgia, the lymph drainage massage can help you restore your normal lifestyle.
Lymphedema
After a mastectomy, which involves the removal of breast tissue to treat or prevent breast cancer, you may experience lymphedema. It occurs only in the area near a surgical site. With lymphatic drainage massage, you may feel the relief of mild to moderate post-surgery symptoms. You should know, that lymphedema can also be caused by an injury or medical conditions such as congestive heart failure (CHF) or blood clots.
Rheumatoid arthritis
As the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis worsen, your lymphatic system stops functioning properly. You may feel tissue swelling, worsening of the pain in the joints, skin color changing and joints losing function. Lymph drainage massage can help reduce the symptoms even of late-stage rheumatoid arthritis.
Chronic venous insufficiency
If your valves or walls of the veins in the legs don't work correctly, you might have chronic venous insufficiency. As a result, the blood from the legs cannot easily return to the heart.
Lymphatic drainage massage therapy can help to boost the blood flow speed in such cases. But it's unclear how long this effect lasts or whether the massage provides long-term pain and swelling relief.
Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia patients also may benefit from lymph drainage massage. This condition causes skin nerve inflammation, skin discoloration, and tissue swelling. The massage has proven to be more efficient than connective tissue massage in treating depression and stiffness, and lifestyle improvement in fibromyalgia patients.
How Does a Lymph Drainage Massage Work?
When you lie down on the massage table, the specialist will perform a precise sequence of massage techniques such as stretching, gliding, compressing, and cupping motions.
Without exerting excessive pressure on the vessel, the massage therapist will gently stimulate the lymphatic system with rhythmic movements. It will allow your lymph fluid to flow freely through the nodes and tissues, preventing it from becoming trapped.
Lymph drainage massage can be an effective treatment for lymphedema and many other medical conditions. So, if you have any symptoms of trapped lymph fluid in your body, discuss the benefits of this type of massage with your doctor.
