Lymphatic Dranage

Swelling is the body’s natural response to a trauma. That trauma may be caused by surgery or injury.
Or the cause of the swelling maybe inherited.
Your body has a system responsible for removing swelling from the tissues, called the Lymphatic
System. This vitally important system is little known and often misunderstood but without it, you
wouldn’t be alive.
The Lymphatic System is a network of vessels, nodes and organs that work in conjunction with your
circulatory (blood) system to maintain fluid balance in your body. Lymphatic vessels transport fluid
that originates in your blood stream, filters into the surrounding tissues, then takes the fluid to
lymph nodes. Lymph nodes work like filtration stations which identify damaging cells like viruses and
bacteria. This process produces immune cells called ‘lymphocytes’ which destroy the foreign
invaders. Then, the ‘cleansed’ fluid continues through the lymphatic network until it joins the
circulatory system at a junction at the base of your neck. This is a continual process that keeps your
skin, tissues, and organs healthy.
Traumas such as surgery and injury cause the body to go into an inflammatory process producing
swelling. It is the lymphatic system’s job to remove that swelling and return the body to its pre-
trauma state.
However, if the damage to the lymphatic system is extensive, after liposuction for instance, or
surgery and treatment for cancer, then it is recommended you have a specialist type of massage
called ‘lymphatic massage therapy’ or ‘manual lymph drainage’. This gentle and deeply relaxing
therapy supports the natural function of the lymphatic system, encouraging fluid into the lymphatic
vessels so it can effectively remove the swelling.
Lymphatic Massage Therapy (Manual Lymph Drainage) is beneficial in helping the following
conditions:
* Postoperative swelling following cosmetic, plastic and reconstructive surgery
* Postoperative swelling following orthopaedic surgery
* Primary Lymphoedema (a condition caused by inherited damage to the lymphatic system)
* Secondary Lymphoedema (a condition caused by damage to the lymphatic system following
surgery/treatment for cancer)