Lymph Drainage Therapy

The proper functioning of the lymphatic system is critical to our body's ability to operate at peak performance. This bodily system drains fluids, detoxifies and regenerates tissues, filters out toxins and foreign substances and helps us maintain a healthy immune system. If lymph circulation stagnates however, toxins accumulate and compromise cellular functioning, which opens the way to physical ailments.

Lymph Drainage Therapy (LDT) is a gentle manual treatment which improves the activity of the lymph vessels and reroutes the lymph flow around blocked areas into more centrally located lymph vessels so they may effectively drain into the venous system. LDT was developed by Bruno B. Chikly, MD.. and is a recent advancement in manual palpation techniques that grew out of the earlier work of, F.P.. Millard, an osteopath, in 1922 and Emil Vodder in 1936.

With LDT, practitioners can manually attune the specific rhythm, pressure, quality and direction of the lymph flow by using a combination of precise anatomical science and distinct manual techniques.

Practitioners perform a lymphatic "mapping" of the superficial and deep lymphatic pathways. Using their hands, they can assess the specific directions of lymph flow and areas of congestion and fibrosis - before, during and after treatment - by using a procedure called Manual Lymphatic Mapping (MLM).

MLM allows the practitioner to manually determine the most efficient alternative pathways in the presence of fluid stagnation. Techniques are performed with hands and fingers simulating gentle, wavelike movements. These subtle manual maneuvers activate lymph and interstitial fluid circulation as well as stimulate the functioning of the immune and parasympathetic nervous systems.

It is shown that when these actions are accomplished, the results can be:

• Reductions of edemas
  (swellings) and lymphedema of various origins.
   
• Detoxification of the body.
   
• Relief of numerous chronic and sub acute inflammations, including sinusitis, bronchitis and otitis.
   
• Relief of chronic pain.
   
• Regeneration of tissue, including burns, wounds, stretch marks and wrinkles.
   
• Stimulation of the immune system.
   
• Reduction in the symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia.
   
• Anti spastic actions to relieve conditions such as muscle hypertonus and some forms of constipation.
   
• Deep relaxation to aid insomnia, stress, loss of vitality and loss of memory.
   
• Anti-ageing effects.
   
• Alleviation of adiposis and cellulite tissue.
   
• Increase in general relaxation.
   
• Improved recovery time in sports injuries.
   
• Relief from migraine headaches.