Inflammation is probably the main way most of us have felt our Lymphatic systems at work.  Since inflammation is associated with illness and injury, we can feel its activity in symptoms like sinus congestion, headaches, fevers, bruising, etc. and in its chronic forms can harm any organ system it resides in.

Orienting and responding to inflammation as a healing mechanism,
takes some consideration.

Inflammation is uncomfortable, swelling stretches tissues and crowds and pulls on neighboring parts. Increases in fluid pressure can make us ache from our skin to our bones.   So when it arises, we naturally want it to stop. Consider, though, that this discomfort is a healing response, whereby our body’s intelligence perceives the need for cleaning up wastes or irritants and increases fluid in parts of the system to accommodate the by-products of cleansing and regeneration. The Lymph nodes are best equipped to break down waste materials, due to their architecture and circulating population of immune cells.  Most of us have felt our lymph nodes in acute immune response mode, as swollen glands in the neck accompanying a sore throat.  It can hurt, but it gets the job done and gets us back to functioning, after a pause.  When this process is going smoothly, with no major insults or protracted challenges, we can generally feel pretty comfortable in our bodies, maybe even, fantastically well!

Areas of chronic inflammation, however, tend to accumulate undigested waste of all kinds.  Our systems can be overwhelmed in a limited area or systemically, by acute or chronic exposures.

Inflammation will come and go in our lives, so why not learn to care for ourselves through and past its signs and symptoms? Instead of asking, “How can we make it stop?”

Can we pause to ask, “How can we help?”

This question allows space for response, and making space is the first priority if we wish to experience more ease.  Supporting the Lymphatics and their waves of propulsion, we encourage the opening and activity of Lymphatic Vessels, which are the highways and by-ways of the Lymphatic river system.  Encouraging this increased flow will clear debris, circulate immune cells and literally increase the clarity of the waters for our system whose tagline is, “To know self from non-self,”

Lymph Drainage Therapy, with the listening touch of Osteopathic methodology, is a gentle, hands on approach with an orientation of respect for our inherent healing systems and capabilities, and specific training to support the movements of the Lymphatic System, to encourage better function and to detect and address limitations.

The Lymphatic System is so integral to healing our bodies, in general, that supporting its function is good for everyone, all the time. Breathing is arguably the most important Lymphatic self-care activity we engage in. Moving our bodies is another.  Lymphatic movement is not dependent on exercise, lymph is still moving while we sleep, thank goodness! Nonetheless, motion helps to open lymphatic pathways, and stimulates lymph circulation.  Any movement that stretches the skin will help, Yoga, general stretching, or Qigong can be as, or more important than aerobic exercise. 

The healthfulness of our outer environments, including the indoor and outdoor spaces we spend time, the products we surround ourselves with in our homes, as well as everything that we consume, become part of our inner environments, and leave differing burdens on the on the Lymphatics.

Supporting the Lymphatic System through hands on therapy, is likewise, generally good for everyone, most of the time. There are some circumstances, such as during an acute inflammatory response, were it’s best to let the symptoms subside, whatever their cause, but otherwise,  Lymphatic Therapy is good basic health support.

It can be particularly worth pursuing following injury of any kind, or the recovery phase of illness, and as preparation and recovery from surgery.  With special encouragement for those undergoing pelvic, abdominal or neck surgeries or radiation, as well as injuries or surgeries involving the head, including the eyes, brain, and mouth, to seek care, as well as anyone having Lymph Nodes removed.  In these cases, Lymph Drainage Therapy uses skills to improve outcomes that are quite unique to this modality.

The Lymphatic system is nearly all-pervasive in the body and is constantly moving to cleanse and revitalize tissues.  Our own personal concoction, remnants of internal processes and inputs from our environments are circulated and refined by the Lymphatics, which work diligently to make our inner waters into vehicles of health. These waters are what is referred to as our internal milieu, an epigenetic environment which nourishes cells as they are born and clears them away when they are spent. Keeping these waters in motion locally and systemically, is essential to health. We live in a soup concocted from our environment, and we contain a soup, our internal milieu and they are not separate.

Symptoms often arise near areas of restriction of the Lymphatic Vessels. Often these restrictions are caused by dams in the vessels, made through some combination of inflammation and scar formation, or fibrosis, whether from external trauma or internal tissue repairs.  When the dam is significant, the fluid may not all make its way to the nodes even if they are present and in good condition, and this can cause focused areas of persistent inflammation even in a generally healthy person.

Vessels and nodes can be damaged by injuries and chronic conditions alike, or removed surgically. Stagnation in nodal areas, such as the arm pits, neck, pelvis, or abdomen, is commonly described as sore or tender, or occasionally as burning sensations. More significant compromise to these areas can lead to stagnation of large areas of the body, with a variety of resultant symptoms, including organ compromise and swelling of limbs.

Scar tissue is what knits us back together when we are injured or go through surgery, so we must thank our lucky scars for saving us from falling to pieces!

However, as with all healing, there is a vast spectrum of outcomes to these natural mechanisms of healing, and the process of scar formation and the incorporation of that new tissue into the overall bodily network, can have long-lasting consequences. Good fluid circulation to an effected area will improve the quality of the new tissues that form. Good fluid circulation through the effected area, will improve the health of all tissues in the area and beyond, to the extremities of the fluid pathways that are impacted.

“As the sapling is bent, so grows the tree” proclaimed A.T. Still, the great grandfather of the Osteopathic tradition.  Scars can shape us over time, bending and limiting us into our unique postures. Healthy fluid circulation and nervous system tone, feeding into such areas, will help simplify and soften them, helping them to be better neighbors, wherever they are in the body, and allowing for healthier movement and growth.

When fibrosis limits lymphatic pathways, these fluids find another way to flow.  The Lymphatic vessels can regenerate and reorganize, and they are often able to find new pathways to join, detouring around denser areas.  Sometimes, though, their detour takes them into a full U-turn and fluid goes back the way it came.  In a one way system, this causes trouble!

Swelling, or lymphedema, can develop in a small or large area, often effecting a whole limb.  This can be a very serious condition and anyone approaching surgery, especially in the lower abdomen or the armpits, and especially when Lymph nodes are to be removed, should seek education around self-care and resources for prevention and early therapeutic intervention.  I encourage everyone to request information from their surgical staff, and have a referral in hand or better yet, begin pre-operative care with a Lymphatic Therapist of some kind.

Areas of chronic inflammation often have nearby accumulations of of undigested waste of all kinds.  If there is stagnant fluid, our bodies may proliferate cells to help break down the waste that is somewhat noxious to the overall organism.  The Lymph nodes are best equipped to break down waste materials, due to their architecture and abundant presence of immune cells, although they can be overwhelmed by acute or chronic exposures to irritating or toxic materials. If there is persistent soreness in the nodal areas of the armpits, neck or pelvis, or inflammation that doesn’t resolve on its own, it can be a good idea to reach out for care. The list of conditions that can be helped includes most disorders we’ve given a name to. The list that follows includes conditions where working with lymphatic fluid circulation or fluid pressure issues can be particularly impactful.

Edemas of different origins, may include:

• Traumatic: strained muscles, sprained ligaments, joint dislocations, tendinitis, tenosynovitis, fracture (before, during, after being in a cast), hematomas, etc.The reduction of the edema makes possible earlier, less painful mobilization, and prepares the tissue for any needed .

• Post-infectious

• Headache, migraine

• Post trauma symptoms (headaches, vertigo)

• Cerebrovascular accident (stroke), hemiplegia, chronic ischemic syndrome, various encephalopathies

• Concussion

• Spinal injuries

• Cerebral palsy

• Facial neuralgia, intercostal neuralgia, herpes zoster neuralgia, etc.

• Facial paralysis

• Visual acuity

• Cataracts

• Macular degeneration

• Epilepsy

• Pre-surgery: prepares the tissue for the intervention, drains the tissue, clears the lymph passages to help prevent post-surgery edema.

• Post-surgery

• Reduction or prevention of scars and fibrosis, has analgesic and infection-preventing effects, and also has some effectiveness in reducing the formation of hypertrophic scars or “keloids”.

• For surgery involving the removal of lymph nodes (post-mastectomy, post-prostatectomy, post-hysterectomy, post-ovariectomy, post-nephrectomy, ORL surgery, tumor removal)

• Parkinson’s disease

• Multiple sclerosis (MS): crisis times may become shorter and the remission periods of MS longer with lymph drainage.

• Vertigo

• Peripheral nerve disorders / cranial nerve disorders (facial nerve paralysis, trigeminal neuralgia, Bell’s palsy)

• Myopathy, muscular dystrophy or atrophy

• Spinal poliomyelitis (effective with resultant edemas)

• Dermatologic: eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, acne

• Premenstrual, cyclic-idiopathic

• Gynecologic

• Neurologic: for neuralgia, facial paresis, multiple sclerosis, etc.

• Edemas associated with rheumatism or autoimmune diseases (e.g., arthrosis, polyarthric problems)

• Lipolymphedema

• Edemas of venolymphatic origin

• Chronic bronchitis, emphysematous bronchitis

• Bronchial asthma:

• Emphysema

• Tooth pain

• Post- extraction pain, edema, inflammation, hematoma, scarring, etc.

• Orthodontia, root canal, orthodontic surgery

• Gingivopathy (gum disease), periodontitis

• Stress

• Fatigue

• Chronic pain

• Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), Epstein-Barr virus.A very common disorder, not yet well understood.

• Autonomic dystonia

• Sleeping disorders

• Detoxification: fasting, dieting, tobacco withdrawal, withdrawal from other substance dependency.

• Toxic chemical poisoning

• Jet lag

• Metabolic effects on cholesterol, uric acid, etc.

• Menstruation: PMS, painful or hemorrhagic menses- Breast pain or swollen breasts (from menses, birth control pill, pregnancy)

• Pregnancy: Stretch marks especially of the abdomen, and breasts.  The results are better if the drainage is started in the early stages.

• Edematous legs

• Breast feeding: breast soreness, cracks or fissures in the puerperal period, prevention or treatment of scarring, prevention of infection.

• Fibrocystic mastopathy (ANDI: Aberrations of normal development or involution)

• Infertility

• Chronic constipation

• Chronic gastritis, gastroenteritis, stress ulcers, enterocolitis, chronic colitis

• Irritable bowel syndrome

• Chronic ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease

• Diverticulosis, diverticulitis,

• Chronic appendicitis

• Chronic pancreatic insufficiency, chronic pancreatitis

• Malabsorption, celiac disease

• Chronic hepatitis

• Food poisoning

• Limb amputation

• Skin grafts, burns and their surgical treatment

• Lymph drainage can be applied to many domesticated animals, including dogs, cats, horses, cows, pigs and sheep.