Developed in Europe in the 1930′s by Emil and Estrid Vodder, Manual Lymph Drainage (MLD) is a safe, effective, yet gentle approach to cleansing the body’s tissues. MLD drains excess fluid from the tissues and also has a detoxifying effect. It can benefit a healthy person as well as be applied to more than 60 different conditions. Scientific studies, as well as vast clinical experience, have supported the effectiveness of MLD.
The therapeutic benefits of MLD, evidenced by more than 30 years of research, are well documented. It is widely prescribed by physicians in Europe and many physicians in the United States and Canada also recognize the benefits of MLD for their patients.
LYMPH AND THE LYMPHATIC SYSTEM
Nutrients entering our bodies are transported by arteries and capillaries to tissue cells which are surrounded by interstitial fluid. The nutrients must pass through this fluid before reaching the cells. After metabolism, the cells dump waste products back into the fluid for removal by the venous blood capillaries and by a system of lymphatic vessels. The blood capillaries only resorb gases (mainly carbon dioxide), water (plasma), and small molecular substances.
The lymphatic vessel system must drain the interstitial fluid of everything else. This includes the water not resorbed by the venous reflow, plus unusable or waste matter such as proteins, bacteria, long chain fats, dusts (from coal and glass), dyes, dead cells and cell parts, mutant cells, etc. These substances are considered to be Lymph Obligatory Load (LOL). Once the LOL enters the lymphatic system it is called lymph.
Lymph is then transported through the lymphatic vessel system to lymph nodes where it is filtered and cleaned before returning to the blood circulatory system. Since the lymphatic vessel system has no pump[ (heart) of its own, movement of lymph is accomplished through a combination of forces, including good diaphragmatic breathing, arterial pulsation, skeletal muscle contractions, and peristaltic contractions. If the lymphatic system fails, or is impaired due to surgery, radiation, disease, or trauma, swelling can occur in the instertital spaces increasing the distance between capillaries and cells. If proper drainage does not occur, cells are exposed to an undernourished, toxic environment. Disease can be the result.
BENEFITS OF MANUAL LYMPHATIC DRAINAGE
- MLD removes metabolic wastes, excess water, toxins, bacteria, large protein molecules and foreign substances from the tissues
- MLD through its gentle rhythmical precise hand movements, alleviates pain by greatly reducing the pain signals sent to the brain.
- MLD relaxes the sympathetic nervous system, thus helping to relieve stress.
- MLD supports and enhances the action of the immune system
- MLD helps the body to heal more quickly from injuries, surgical trauma, chronic conditions, and edema
- MLD helps to minimize scar formation.
MLD OPPORTUNITIES