The lymphatic system helps the body eliminate waste and infections through lymph drainage. Surgery or medical treatments that interfere with this process may lead to fluids building up around surgical sites and cause lymphoedema (swelling due to fluid build-up).

Manual lymphatic drainage massage can be an effective solution to help alleviate swelling. Your healthcare provider may suggest this gentle technique.

What is MLD?

Manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) is a gentle massage technique that involves moving your skin with hand movements in order to stimulate lymph fluid drainage and move it from swelling-filled areas back into less congested ones. MLD forms part of Complete Decongestive Therapy for treating lymphedema after breast cancer surgery or radiation treatments, such as radiation and chemotherapy treatments.

Your lymphatic system normally collects and returns lymph fluid to your heart through lymph vessels and nodes, but any disruption in this process could cause it to build up in your arms and legs, leading to swelling known as edema.

Lymphoedema can result from many different circumstances, such as breast cancer treatments such as radiation therapy or surgery; chronic venous insufficiency; joint problems (rheumatoid arthritis or otherwise); lipedema (an abnormal fat accumulation); MLD can help alleviate these symptoms – either while lying down or sitting up depending on where your lymphoedema lies – however. MLD treatment sessions should ideally last no more than 30 minutes at any one time.

How does MLD work?

MLD works by increasing lymph drainage channels just beneath the skin and encouraging other routes if they become blocked.

Researchers conducted a small study which demonstrated how MLD can be an effective means of avoiding lymphedema following breast cancer surgery. Their test enabled them to map out their lymphatic system and identify which drainage routes worked effectively versus those which did not.

Your lymphoedema specialist may teach you a simplified version of MLD called simple lymphatic drainage (SLD), in which they demonstrate how to massage only parts of your body that don’t contain swelling; light pressure should be used, making sure not to massage areas where lymphoedema exists.

SLD may also help improve circulation, alleviate hot flashes, calm the nervous system, reduce fatigue and increase pain tolerance.

What are the benefits of MLD?

Manual lymphatic drainage is an effective, noninvasive way of relieving swelling caused by lymphedema. Furthermore, this therapy may also benefit other conditions such as fibromyalgia or joint pain by improving circulation and decreasing inflammation.

MLD may be combined with other treatments like compression therapy and low-impact lymphedema exercises for best results, and in some cases can even stop progression to clinical lymphedema.

At an MLD session, your therapist will begin by treating unaffected lymph nodes to create space for fluid to drain away from affected areas and out of your body. Massage typically includes pumping, circular, and spiral movements.

Between sessions, your therapist may teach you to perform a simple version of massage at home. Be sure to apply light pressure and ask any questions if unsure what you should be doing; focus on massaging the unaffected areas rather than massaging swollen ones directly. For anyone concerned with lymphoedema or related conditions in South Dakota or Minnesota USA contact Prairie Rehabilitation immediately to book an appointment in Worthington Avera, Worthington Oxford Jackson Tea Hartford Sioux Falls

What are the risks of MLD?

MLD stimulates lymph flow and can reduce fluid accumulation that leads to swelling for some cancer survivors. According to some studies, MLD may also help halt any progression to clinical lymphedema after breast cancer node dissection and improve volume reduction when combined with complex decongestive therapy (CDT).

Your therapist will teach you to perform self-manual lymphatic drainage (SLD), an easier form of MLD that will help keep lymphoedema under control and decrease swelling between treatments sessions.

MLD should be avoided in cases of active infection in the area that is swollen, as well as medical conditions like heart problems. Furthermore, MLD should also not be performed if signs of blood clots in veins have emerged, including warmth and tenderness over a vein, skin redness, pain or swelling (all potential telltale signs for deep vein thrombosis – something your therapist can help detect).