Manual Lymphatic Drainage

This is an exact and distinctive therapy that reduces inflammation, increases blood flow without increasing blood pressure, and decreases swelling which promotes rapid healing.

MLD is a gentle technique that utilizes the superficial lymphatic vessels that are located just under the skin.  The lymph vessels are like fine silk threads and the correct technique only moves the skin that the vessels are attached to, causing the valves to open and an increased amount of lymph fluid to be pulled into the vessel for removal. Even a slight downward pressure on the vessels keeps them from pulling the fluid in, so this technique is gentle and can be used even when there is great pain in an area.

As the fluid is removed and oxygen and nutrients are brought to the area, pain quickly reduces and healing is rapid.

A simple example would be a patient that had been struck by a golf ball with great force.  She had a severe hematoma the size of half a baseball on her deltoid and it was very painful to the touch.  After first being treated peripherally, then immediately over the injury, all the pain was gone.

A more complicated case would be a patient that had had a complex open reduction of the tibia after an auto accident.  They wanted a knee flexion of 130 degrees, but were only able to attain 80 degrees and with great pain.  After MLD to the area she quickly attained the 130 degrees and without pain, because the edema softened and then was being decreased.  Also the skin improved in health as scabs fells off, dryness decreased, the skin became supple and had a healthy sheen.