What is MLD?
Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD) is the gentle manipulation and stretch of the skin to encourage drainage of lymph fluid to the lymph nodes or “filters” of the body.
What is the lymphatic system?
The lymphatic system is our body's natural immune response in that it collects cellular debris and toxins from our body and filters it through the lymph nodes into major lymphatic organs (tonsils, spleen, gallbladder, intestines, kidneys, skin). Each person has an average of 650-750 lymph nodes in the body, with concentrations in the head, neck and face (think about all of our senses in our head and brain!), as well as in the armpits, groin, and behind the knees.
The flow or viscosity of lymph depends entirely on your lifestyle, diet, amount of movement per day, medications, smoking and/or drinking alcohol, dehydration, as well as factors outside of our control: pollutants in our air, water, food, and household items, clothing, etc.
Lymph moves through vessels the width of a hair; when it runs clear like water, it flows smoothly through the body. When it thickens or hardens due to poor nutrients or dehydration, lymph is slower to move and drain. Congestion of lymph is like a backed up sewer system in that your body cannot eliminate all the built up toxins in your body, leading to fatigue, sickness, infection, and major diseases.
Hydration = loosens things up
Dehydrations = locks things up
Consumption and elimination are the major parts of maintaining a healthy body. The tonsils are the first lymphatic organs filtering out toxins in food, water, or the air we breathe. The spleen cleans and filters our blood, and the kidneys and skin are the main eliminating organs of the lymphatic system. If you have any skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, rosacea, these are likely caused by a lymphatic backup somewhere in your body (usually digestion).
The lymphatic system, unlike our circulator / cardiovascular system, does not have its own pump. Muscle movement moves the lymph! (walking, swimming, dancing, stretching, biking, working out, etc). Typically lymph moves at a rate of 10-12 beats per minute.
After an MLD session, your lymph is moving at a rate of 100-120 beats per minute.
Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD) is the gentle manipulation and stretch of the skin to encourage drainage of lymph fluid to the lymph nodes or “filters” of the body.
What is the lymphatic system?
The lymphatic system is our body's natural immune response in that it collects cellular debris and toxins from our body and filters it through the lymph nodes into major lymphatic organs (tonsils, spleen, gallbladder, intestines, kidneys, skin). Each person has an average of 650-750 lymph nodes in the body, with concentrations in the head, neck and face (think about all of our senses in our head and brain!), as well as in the armpits, groin, and behind the knees.
The flow or viscosity of lymph depends entirely on your lifestyle, diet, amount of movement per day, medications, smoking and/or drinking alcohol, dehydration, as well as factors outside of our control: pollutants in our air, water, food, and household items, clothing, etc.
Lymph moves through vessels the width of a hair; when it runs clear like water, it flows smoothly through the body. When it thickens or hardens due to poor nutrients or dehydration, lymph is slower to move and drain. Congestion of lymph is like a backed up sewer system in that your body cannot eliminate all the built up toxins in your body, leading to fatigue, sickness, infection, and major diseases.
Hydration = loosens things up
Dehydrations = locks things up
Consumption and elimination are the major parts of maintaining a healthy body. The tonsils are the first lymphatic organs filtering out toxins in food, water, or the air we breathe. The spleen cleans and filters our blood, and the kidneys and skin are the main eliminating organs of the lymphatic system. If you have any skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, rosacea, these are likely caused by a lymphatic backup somewhere in your body (usually digestion).
The lymphatic system, unlike our circulator / cardiovascular system, does not have its own pump. Muscle movement moves the lymph! (walking, swimming, dancing, stretching, biking, working out, etc). Typically lymph moves at a rate of 10-12 beats per minute.
After an MLD session, your lymph is moving at a rate of 100-120 beats per minute.
Who benefits from MLD?
Because MLD encourages lymph nodes to drain, thereby eliminating harmful toxins in the body, MLD
is incredibly beneficial for everyone! MLD is especially important for those going into major surgery or with any of these issues:
What to expect:
MLD is incredibly gentle and can be done with skin contact or over clothing depending on your comfort level. The first MLD session will involve an overall “draining” protocol of the 3 major drains: cervical, axillary, and inguinal as a way to assess where lymph stagnation is occurring. Follow up sessions will focus more specifically on areas that need MLD. Depending on your needs will determine the number of MLD sessions recommended.
Clients report sensations of draining, flushing, relaxation, lightheadedness, movement via the bladder and bowels, and an overall sense of well-being. You may also feel run-down, achey, nauseous, or fatigued after your first session.
This is perfectly normal, but if symptoms persist, please check in with T at 941-268-6548 and talk to your physician.
Because MLD encourages lymph nodes to drain, thereby eliminating harmful toxins in the body, MLD
is incredibly beneficial for everyone! MLD is especially important for those going into major surgery or with any of these issues:
- Edema/fluid retention
- Pre-surgery preparation
- Post-surgery healing
- Scar tissue management
- Chemotherapy support (with physician approval)
- Autoimmune disorders
- Nervous system disorders
- Glaucoma
- Skin issues: Dermatitis, Psoriasis, Rosacea, Eczema
- Increasing range of motion (stuck lymph around joints can inhibit movement)
- Injury healing/support
- Pain management
- Infection prevention
- Weight loss/cosmetic support
- Long Covid
- Pregnancy (with physician approval)
- Post-partum/post-cesarean support
- Migraines/headaches
- Digestive disorders
- Sinusitis
- Inflammation
- Alzheimer’s / Dementia (backed up lymph in the brain can cause plaque to build up in the brain and affect memory)
What to expect:
MLD is incredibly gentle and can be done with skin contact or over clothing depending on your comfort level. The first MLD session will involve an overall “draining” protocol of the 3 major drains: cervical, axillary, and inguinal as a way to assess where lymph stagnation is occurring. Follow up sessions will focus more specifically on areas that need MLD. Depending on your needs will determine the number of MLD sessions recommended.
Clients report sensations of draining, flushing, relaxation, lightheadedness, movement via the bladder and bowels, and an overall sense of well-being. You may also feel run-down, achey, nauseous, or fatigued after your first session.
This is perfectly normal, but if symptoms persist, please check in with T at 941-268-6548 and talk to your physician.
For more information on MLD, please visit
https://mldinstituteinternational.com/
https://mldinstituteinternational.com/