Lymphatic drainage - what is it and who can benefit?
- Desirée Lee
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
I’m not sure about you, but I get mild case of the spins when I think about adding anything to my routine. Especially if it’s trending.
When I’m hardly motivated and I feel a heaviness that I need to do something, I set a timer. This has been especially helpful for my lifting progression and active stretch sessions.
Why? 1) to help me stay focused and not do anything else but (such as cleaning the floors or going through my mail) 2) it helps keep me accountable and proud that I accomplished what I set out to do.
Do we need our lymphatic system reset? And if so what is the best way to do so?
Before we dive deep into the topic of lymphatics and how the body heals itself, let’s clarify that detoxification is crucial to our well being.
Lymph is an integral part of the immune system helping to deliver and recycle nutrients and remove waste. All people can benefit from a lymphatic system reset. Whether or not you have a chronic condition or underwent a recent event, I would consider the following:
Walk
Actively Stretch
Jump around (3 reps of 1-2 minutes)
Myofascial release (foam roll, tennis roll, etc)
Enjoy a therapeutic massage
With simple self care, we can reduce swelling, remove toxins, and help our circulation by addressing our lymphatic system in small yet impactful ways.
When the body needs more than standard medicines
I recently underwent two surgeries (one relatively minor and the other not so minor) and what I learned is that after surgery the MD may give you green light but you feel like a yellow at best. It was this information that I wish I knew: lymphatic drainage and massage and scraping can help reduce swelling, scar tissue and remove waste among other things.
I left my body to its own devices. Fortunately, it has done a great job, however, I still suffer from an imbalance in my abdomen and pain in the right side. Why? Well, I believe the remaining scar tissue left inside is causing the body to be imbalanced and out of sorts. This is where adhesion massage and lymphatic drainage could help contribute to my healing process.
Timing matters more than you think
Lymphatic drainage is highly recommended due to its gentle, therapeutic nature. Working slowly and gently without causing pain is key to proper healing.
After a surgery or any other event that causes scarring, it is important to allow enough time for the incision or affected area to be fully closed before bodywork treatments can begin. Adhesion massage for example, is crucial for ungluing scarred tissues, however, only after additional recovery time has passed.
Lymphatic drainage is by definition “refers to the process by which the lymphatic system removes excess fluid that accumulates in the interstitium during fluid exchange between plasma and interstitial fluid.” In addition, it “can be assisted by coordination with the patient's breathing cycle, enhances fluid movement into the treated tissue, improving oxygenation and the supply of nutrients to the area. Practitioners trained in advanced lymph drainage can learn to accurately follow (and augment) the specific rhythm of lymphatic flow.”
In short, lymphatic drainage can be a gentle therapy that can be performed soon after someone has recovered from an event such as incisions from a surgical operation, skin burns, or even plastic surgery. It is proven to help with fluid build up, inflammation, circulation, relaxation and comfort, as well as decrease the risk of fibrosis, hematomas and seromas.
I believe in trusting your intuition and listening to your body, whether you are allowing someone to assist in your recovery or you implement self care. At any point during a session, you can communicate with the practitioner about what you are experiencing and feeling. Don’t be afraid to express your comfort levels and boundaries. Just as it is important to not feel pain during a stretch session, it is equally important to not feel any during a lymphatic system reset.
I hope this overview is comprehensive and as informative as needed for you to have a better idea of what care you can utilize for yourself and perhaps recommend to others.
If you would like to read up on more information, below are supporting sources:
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