Clients come to me for Lymphatic Drainage Therapy for many different reasons including seasonal allergies, post COVID symptoms, swelling (edema) in various parts of their body, post surgery recovery, digestive issues, or a general sense that they are “clogged up” and in a constant state of inflammation. The good news is that Manual Lymphatic Drainage is very effective for all these health concerns and does wonders for most inflammatory conditions, whether acute or chronic.  I’ve seen clients who have suffered from swollen knees for years and after one or two treatments, the swelling completely disappears, or reduces significantly.

A large percentage of our population is not knowledable about the lymphatic system, as it has not been hugely emphasized by our medical community and medical experts. By the time it is talked about, the patient has most likely already been diagnosed with a serious disease or autoimmune condition.  In my opinion, there should be much more education worldwide about our lymphatic system, so people can take the necessary measures to keep their immune system healthy. This can be done through nutrition, exercise, supplements, mindfulness and the reduction of chronic stress in the body.

What exactly is the lymphatic system and its function?

Your lymphatic system is a group of organs, vessels and tissues that protect you from infection and keep a healthy balance of fluids throughout your body. Lymphatic system organs include your bone marrow, thymus and lymph nodes. Swollen lymph nodes are a sign of common infections, like strep throat, but also more serious diseases like cancer.

Accordingly to the Cleveland Clinic, the lymphatic system has the following key functions:

• Collecting excess fluid from your body’s tissues and returning it to your bloodstream. This supports healthy fluid levels in your body.
• Your lymphatic system also filters out waste products and abnormal cells from this fluid. Helping your body absorb fats. Most nutrients can travel through tiny openings in the walls of your capillaries, and your body can then absorb and use them. But certain fats and other molecules are too large to travel in this way.
• Your lymphatic system collects fluid from your intestines that contains these molecules and transports it back to your bloodstream.
• Protecting your body against invaders.
• It produces and releases lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell) and other immune cells. These cells look for and destroy invaders — such as bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi — that may enter your body.

Manual Lymphatic Drainage works directly with the lymph nodes and the lymphatic vessels to increase the production and movement of lymph fluid.  In return, this clears stagnation in areas that have swelling or bloating (including the gut), reduces inflammation and scar tissue after a procedure, increases energy, improves functions of the organs (yaah liver!), and boosts overall immunity. By improving the flow of the fluids, lymph nodes are able to better perform their job in filtering out waste products and harmful bacteria, and return this filtered fluid to your blood.

In a lymphatic drainage session, a practitioner will work directly on the areas of the body where there is a large collection of lymph nodes including the axilla, superficial and deep abdominals, pelvic region, face, and extremities. Hence, it is important to wear loose fitting and comfortable attire (tank top, yoga pants, shorts, etc), which will allow the practitioner to access these areas effortlessly. The technique itself should always feel gentle and non-invasive (otherwise, you are not getting a certified lymph drainage treatment), but effective in reducing congestion and swelling.

After treatment, most of my clients tend to feel less inflamed and more energized, and for many, these results are long-lasting.  That being said, the first and second treatment may have some uncomfortable “side-effects”, depending on how much toxicity is lodged in the body.  Just think about how polluted our food and water is (chemicals, herbicides, additives, chlorine, etc), how much pollution the air has, what we’ve been consuming for years (sugar, alcohol, junk food, etc), how sedentary our lives are, and how stress and trauma has impacted our bodies.  Hence, I always warn clients that they may experience a few uncomfortable symptoms after the first few treatments including:

• Mental and physical grogginess (this is a result of the waste products getting cleared out of the system)
• Change in bowel movements (once again, a response to the detox process)
• Mild headache the next day (especially if you’ve been dehydrated)
• Nausea
• Fatigue

Typically, if a client’s immune system is not overly compromised, these symptoms should pass within a day or two, and they should feel a lot lighter, more energized, focused, and should experience a reduction in swelling/inflammation.  If they last longer than a week, the system is either taking longer to recover due to a recent injury or procedure, or there may be an underlying medical condition that should be diagnosed by a medical professional.

Please check out contraindications and indications for lymphatic drainage therapy here – https://balancedmanualtherapy.com/lymphatic-drainage-therapy/

Dali is certified in Manual Lymphatic Drainage and Mapping by Dr. Bruno’s Chikly Institute.  She has received advanced certifications in Lymphatic Drainage Therapy for pre and post surgery patients, as well as those suffering from edema, venous insufficiency, heavy metal and mold toxicity, Chronic Fatigue, MS, Fibromyalgia, and other autoimmune conditions.  Her manual therapy studio is located in South Asheville in the community of Arden.  Click on the “Book” button on the top menu to schedule your appointment, or visit the location page to get in touch with her directly.