Lymphatic Drainage – What Is All the Buzz About?
It seems like lately lymphatic drainage is the hot new thing – I see it mentioned everywhere. I’m so happy that the world is catching up to what we lymph nerds have known for a long time… lymphatic drainage is a magical therapy! So what exactly is it and why would you want to get a lymphatic drainage massage?
Please read this lymphatics primer I wrote for a better understanding of how the lymphatic system works.
Lymphatic drainage has been around since the 1930s, and it was originally created for the immune system benefits. By manually stimulating the lymphatic system, we can encourage the body to eliminate cellular debris and pathogens more quickly. This has many benefits.
Surgical Recovery:
The number one reason my clients come to get lymphatic drainage today is for pre-surgical prep and post-surgical recovery. Prior to surgery, it is beneficial to clear the area of any stagnant lymph; this prepares the area for speedy healing afterwards. Post surgery, lymphatic drainage brings down the swelling, makes the tissue more supple, increases range of motion and generally helps the body to heal much faster than it would on its own. Getting regular lymphatic massages just after your surgical procedure will protect the investment you made in yourself with the surgery! Your massage will be tailored to where you are in the healing process and can include lymphatic cupping, fibrosis massage and scar massage.
Autoimmune and Pain-Inducing Conditions:
Lymphatic drainage is a wonderful adjunctive therapy for some autoimmune conditions such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. It will not get to the root cause, but it will ameliorate the symptoms and make you feel a whole lot more comfortable in your body. Clients with fibromyalgia, CRPS (complex regional pain syndrome) and other conditions that involve pain in the joints or muscles also benefit greatly from lymphatic drainage, as the therapy itself is not only analgesic but relaxing to the nervous system as well.
General Wellness:
The lymphatic system is incredibly efficient. However, our bodies are exposed to more damaging agents than they were even 50 years ago: we are constantly bathed in wifi, there are heavy metals in our food and water, the average person ingests a credit card size amount of micro-plastics each week, the list goes on. Lymphatic drainage can help our bodies process all of this. Most clients feel great with a series of three weekly sessions, then a session once a month.
“Detox”:
If you are doing a detox or cleanse, I recommend a lymphatic session a day or two before you start and a couple of sessions starting a few days after you finish. In my clinical experience, a full lymphatic session is too much for the body to handle in the middle of the detox, so I can teach you a very short sequence to stimulate the nodes that you can do on yourself while you are actively doing a cleanse.
Allergies:
Since moving to Austin in 2014, I have suffered from all kinds of allergies I never had before. I find that performing lymphatic drainage on myself, especially my face, helps me handle them better. A full body session does wonders to help the body handle seasonal allergies and I can teach you a short sequence for your face for in between.
Relaxation:
Finally, almost EVERYONE who gets a lymphatic massage says it’s even more relaxing than a swedish massage. The pressure is light and rhythmic, which is very conducive to getting into that lovely trance-like mellow state that lowers cortisol.
YOU DESERVE SOME LYMPHATIC SUPPORT!
ALLOW US TO BE A PART OF YOUR WELLNESS TEAM – BOOK HERE:
Manual Lymphatic Drainage
THE go-to treatment for post surgical recovery and sports injuries! This treatment involves gentle rhythmic pressure in the direction of lymph flow in order to decrease swelling or simply support the body’s healthy immunological function. Gentle moving cupping is incorporated as necessary to facilitate fluid flow. MLD is excellent as surgery support, normally with one full-body session prior to surgery and at least three targeted sessions during the recovery period. For post cosmetic surgery, more sessions are normally needed – and the techniques will differ depending on exactly which type of surgery you had and how long it has been since the surgery. Post surgical lymphatic drainage is a specialty of mine – NOT EVERYONE WHO DOES LYMPHATIC DRAINAGE UNDERSTANDS POST-SURGICAL MASSAGE. It is different – please text me if you have any questions or want to discuss how I can support you! Swelling due to sports injuries can normally be relieved in one or two sessions. MLD is also a powerful tool to maintain healthy systems at optimum functioning. For more information, read my blog posts on MLD here and here.
SURGICAL CLIENTS: text me for additional availability if I am fully booked.
60 min MLD $110
90 min MLD $145
Face & Neck Lymphatic Drainage
Depuff your face after it’s been face down in a face cradle! A 15-minute add-on to any massage, this gentle rhythmic technique utilizes very light pressure in the direction of lymph flow in order to aid in the detoxification of the tissues of the head. It relieves puffiness and swelling and decreases congestion. The neck is where the lymphatic system joins the cardiovascular system, so it is crucial to decongest this area so the entire lymphatic pathways can be clear. This is an excellent way to finish any massage.
Face & Neck Add-on $20
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