Lymphatic drainage is a pleasant decongestive therapy that uses gentle grips, pressure and relaxation techniques to stimulate the flow of lymph in the body. Since manual lymphatic drainage is not a classic massage, it should be performed exclusively under the guidance of trained experts. Used professionally, lymphatic drainage can achieve many things. For example, lymphatic drainage has long been used on the face in the field of dermatological cosmetics, where it is used to treat acne or scars, for example. Also in medicine, manual lymphatic drainage has been recognized for years and is used, for example, for the treatment of lymphedema.
The principle of lymphatic drainage
As early as the 16th century, doctors and scientists speculated: in addition to the blood circulation, there must be a second vascular network that supplies and cleanses the body’s cells. They were right. The lymph fluid flows through the human body along branched lymphatic pathways, transporting nutrients and fats to the cells and at the same time taking viruses, germs, cell waste and pollutants with it.
In order to cleanse the lymph of its dangerous cargo, filtering stations, the so-called lymph nodes, are repeatedly switched on along the lymphatic pathways. These are about the size of small kidney beans and are usually located in a cluster near veins, in the armpits, elbows, knees, loins, chest and neck. White blood cells and germicidal cells that cleanse the blood are located in the lymph nodes. When an illness occurs, the white blood cells multiply, causing the lymph nodes to swell.
Lymphatic drainage: lymph and lymph nodes.
Lymph does not have its own pump, but is coupled to the pressure of the blood system. Therefore, it sometimes takes a little time for the harmful substances in the blood to be removed. This process can be accelerated with manual lymphatic drainage. The flow of lymph is stimulated from the outside with stroking, circular movements.
This principle of lymphatic drainage was discovered in the 1930s by the Danish physiotherapist Emil Vodder. He had noticed that patients with chronic colds often had enlarged lymph nodes. When he began to gently massage the lymph nodes of some patients (lymphatic drainage), they soon became healthy. Today, lymphatic drainage is a treatment technique used in both the medical and cosmetic fields.
Application of manual therapy
Long before lymphatic drainage was used in the medical field, it was a common treatment method in dermatological cosmetics. There, lymphatic drainage is primarily used on the face, for the treatment of acne and scars, or for the pre- and post-treatment of surgery.
Especially in the case of surgical procedures in the breast area, prior lymphatic drainage can reduce scarring. Due to the deep incision during surgery, fine lymph vessels and lymph nodes can be destroyed. As a result, tissue water can no longer be removed, accumulates and swells, pressing on the fresh suture. This not only slows down wound healing, but can also result in ugly scars and adhesions.
In addition, massaging the lymph nodes during lymphatic drainage generally strengthens the immune system, reduces stress and prevents allergies and water retention.
