Lymphatic drainage massage is a way of quickening lymph drainage to benefit the body and its function. Massage techniques can improve the effect it is true by assisting the lymph to move into the extracellular spaces of the body. This helps the detoxification function and helps restore the bodies balances. By detoxifying the body the acquired immune system is boosted and the body is more rigorous in resisting infection. What is it? The lymph system is responsible for the detoxification and disposal of metabolic waste from the body. The practitioner manually applies pressure to the patients body helping the function of the lymphatic system. What can you treat with this? Lymph drainage massage is a good way of dealing with the compromised health caused by accumulations of metabolic waste within the body. The symptoms for this are low energy levels, fatigue and mood swings along with prescribed medical conditions. What does it involve? The client lays on their back and the practitioner applies pressure at certain points on the body associated with the lymph system. This is done in sympathy with the normal breathing cycle of the client. The client then changes posture whilst the practitioner applies pressure to various points of the body such as veins or pressure to the navel area. The pressure is applied in various degrees with sensitivity depending on the type of treatment. A full generalised treatment lasts approximately 60 to 90 minutes with treatment to the back, side and then the front. How are the lymph points located?
The student learns the location of the lymph system from external parts of the body such as ribs, navel points and the bone structure. How soon does it work? This depends on the type of treatment being applied. In normal medical massage a lymph drainage massage is carried out every 5th time. Otherwise the practitioner will deliver the treatment where detoxification is required by the symptoms presented. There may be some mild side effects of the detoxification process (mild headaches, nausea) but these soon clear. Are there any precautions? Where there are swellings, enlargements or tenderness in the lymph nodes they should not be massaged. References Lymph drainage for detoxification – Boris Prilutsky published in Massage Bodywork magazine June/July 2006 The Complete Guide to Lymph Drainage Massage – Ramona Moody French published by Cengage Learning
