Manual Lymphatic Drainage Massage

Manual Lymphatic Drainage Practitioners: Zofia Szymanska, James Sanderson. 

Manual Lymph drainage massage has powerful cleansing, relaxing, pain relieving 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.

Manual Lymphatic drainage is used primarily to promote the optimal functioning of the lymphatic vessels that lead to the circulatory system. Manual Lymphatic drainage 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. 

Manual Lymphatic drainage 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. 

As our culture's dietary norms stress the lymphatic system with excess wastes and toxins, and too little fluid 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 patient can benefit from lymph drainage as part of a general detoxification program. This can improve energy, increase cellular oxygenation and nourishment, and build immunity. 

Lymph flow is stimulated by a number of elements, including internal stimulation, arterial pulse, respiration, peristalsis and exercise. Exercise is the one variable you can use yourself to stimulate lymph flow.

Artificially, movement can be stimulated by manual lymphatic drainage, through triggering the receptors in the vessel walls. 

Manual lymph drainage 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, which stimulate the movement of lymph through the lymph vessels.