Lymphatic Drainage Massage

Lymphatic Drainage Massage: 101

Guest Blogger: Tiffany Davidson

History of Lymphatic Drainage

Lymphatic Draining is a gentle, non-invasive technique that has a powerful effect on the body. However this technique hasn’t been around forever, in fact the Lyphatic System was first discovered in 1622 by the medical. Later, an Italian physician Hazleton Asselli noticed milky veins in a dog after it was given food.  The term, Lymphatic Drainage was later coined by an Osteopathic Doctor from Toronto named, Frederic Maillard.

In 1932, Danish Massage Practitioner, Emil Vodder developed a hands-on technique for lymph drainage called, Manual Lymphatic Drainage, which is a type of gentle massage that encourages the natural drainage of the lymph, which carries waste products away from the tissues back toward the heart.

How the Lymphatic System Works for the Body

The Lymphatic System moves fluids through your body and returns it to the Circulatory System. It is the body’s way of disposing of waste, bacteria, excess water, proteins, and more. These are cleared away from the connective tissue and returned to the blood stream for removal by the kidneys. The Lymphatic System collects proteins and molecules that are too large to return to the blood. The proteins of molecules are transported and filter through the lymph nodes and then rejoin the blood by the Subclavian and Jugular veins.

Lymphatic Drainage Massage requires that the skin is stretched and torqued in a specific manner, based on scientific, physiological principles that are proven to encourage lymph flow.

How Can Lymphatic Drainage Help You?

Lymphatic Drainage massage is a gentle moving massage and it increases lymphatic circulation it helps to remove the toxins from the body and assists load lymph nodes. Lymphatic drainage cleanses and regenerates tissue and therefore promotes homeostasis in the body.

The internal movements that this massage stimulates, encourages the formation of lymphocytes which in turn produces antibodies which helped the body’s resistance to infection. Lymphatic Drainage also encourages and improves lymph drainage in the healthy lymph vessels, which helps keep fluid away from swollen areas.