What is a manual lymphatic drainage massage?
Manual lymphatic drainage is a wonderfully relaxing remedial treatment, which is one of our favourites:
*If you’re negotiating the crippling effects of pain, then this all-round-therapy may be a positive help for you because its powerful cleansing properties are great for pain relief.
*But the absolute wonder of MLD is that it also has fabulous immunological effects.
Charlie Botha ITEC
Your ITEC qualified massage therapist
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Questions & Answers
That's some heavy claims. So what is this wonder remedy we hear you cry?
Here’s the academic stuff so bear with us. Manual lymphatic drainage is a manual form of physical therapy. Your therapist will adopt a mild, rhythmic massage technique which can be applied to an extensive spread of pathologies. You can read a range of some of these below, so we’ll skip over that for now.
Suffice to say that whatever you’re suffering with, we’re willing to bet that a modest round of MLD, well done by our specialist therapist, will support you along your road to feeling better. It’s that powerful!
Lymphatic drainage primarily stimulates the optimal functioning of the lymphatic vessels, which are like roads that lead to the rubbish dump (i.e. other internal organs and systems).
Your therapist will use gentle techniques which promote your lymphatic system to function more productively.
This light pumping activity is how we facilitate the expulsion of metabolic wastes, surplus water and toxins as well as removing bacteria, protein fragments and foreign substances from your tissues.
Whilst your lymph vessels do all of this on their own, occasionally they just require a little extra help. Like getting in people on overtime when everyone has a ton of rubbish after the Christmas holidays.
Manual lymphatic drainage works by softening your sympathetic nervous system.
The pumping action engages your autonomic nervous system which is in charge of the functions of our body that just happen without us consciously thinking. This includes expelling waste that has been lying latent in our system.
It also suppresses our sympathetic nervous system which is that fight, flight or freeze response which many of us live by in our hectic and stressful worlds. Calming the part of us that is ‘over-busy’ while arousing the portion that has gone quiet in order to pass that energy to help handle stress, means that our body can serve us more efficiently. And in short. We feel better. This is how we can assert that manual lymphatic drainage reduces suffering and strengthens your immune system.
This all boils down to relieving the load on your body’s setup, so it can operate in a more superior way than if it were spending time and energy dealing with all the stuff that lymphatic drainage helps with.
Gentle therapy
Manual lymphatic drainage is also an extraordinarily gentle therapy because your lymph vessels lie very near to the surface of your skin.
These vessels are sensitive to pressure, so we only use about 3 grams in most places. This means that when you are in pain, this is the most wonderful therapy because you can just lie back and relax in the absolute knowledge that your therapist is only going to use the mildest of brushes. This is why it’s terrific for people suffering with pain associated with cancer and its treatment program, right the way down to post operative swelling which people who have had liposuction suffer with.
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What is lymphatic drainage good for?This isn’t a definitive list, but it will give you an idea:
*Swollen feet, legs and ankles during pregnancy
*Oedema
*Skin disorders
*Headache
*Sinus congestion
*Sprains and aches
*Digestive disorders
*Before and after surgery to eliminate congestion and minimise scar formation
*Improves lymph drainage helping to relieve conditions such as water retention
*Aids recovery from plastic surgery procedures such as cosmetic BBL (Brazilian butt lift)
*Reduces overall stress & anxiety
*Emotional tension
*Encourages better circulation and then deeper & more active breathing
*Promotes the immune system
*Balances the digestive system
*Promotes general relaxation
*Post liposuction – read more
*Cancer care
If you’d like to book the red light therapy, then you can do this at each session (London).
Can you lose weight with lymphatic drainage?
In the sense that manual lymphatic drainage assists your body in getting rid of excess water, then yes, but honestly, there is no substitute for a healthy diet and exercise routine in losing weight.
Why would I not be able to have a manual lymphatic drainage?
There are a few conditions which mean a manual lymphatic drainage would not be the best holistic therapy for you such as
Infectious skin disease, rash, or open wounds.
Pregnant women should check with their doctor first if they are considering getting manual lymphatic drainage.
If you have a bruise, inflamed skin, unhealed wounds, tumours, abdominal hernia, or areas of recent fractures, then your therapist may work around these areas, so please ask. This also includes areas where you have had a fat transfer, such as a BBL.
In this instance, there are plenty of other therapies that would be more suitable and we can help and advise you in making the best choice so give us a call or text on 07941 668456 before booking to double check if you’re in any doubt.
Please Note: Manual lymphatic drainage is a totally safe and complementary therapy (it does not replace medical treatment). If you are in any doubt at all, please consult with your GP prior to coming.
I have severe swelling issues, is this the right therapy?
Depending on how swollen you are we may recommend lymphatic drainage with our specialist radiofrequency (RF therapy) vacuum machine. This will work your lymphatic system more aggressively. If you think this may be what you need, then please book this here.
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How do you stimulate lymphatic drainage?
In contrast to some muscular work we do at Essential Feeling lymphatic drainage requires an especially light touch, which is why as well as being therapeutic, it’s also our most relaxing treatment.
We work with a soft hand in the direction that the lymph flow should naturally take and then when we arrive at the nodes scattered around your body in e.g. the creases of your legs and armpits then we use a gentle rocking motion over them to prompt them into draining.
In addition we have the option to add in deep oscillation therapy or ultrasonic cavitation to further speed up your lymphatic system.
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Checklist
How does this pan out then?
You make your booking online now and once you’ve finished the process, you’ll end up at a confirmation page. This page contains a link to a consultation form that you need to complete before your session. It also has the full address and directions to our therapy centre in Gidea Park, Romford. We’re just off Gallows Corner but we’re hidden away in the back so it won’t be a place you will have passed, so please read these directions.
Who will care for me?
Generally, Charlton will be your manual lymphatic drainage therapist. If you’d like to know more about him, his training and his experience then here’s more detail.
How will I feel afterwards?
You may feel tired or relaxed afterwards. However, most people will then feel rejuvenated and full of energy. You may experience some thirstiness or lack of temperature for around 24 hours afterwards as your body flushes out the toxins that your session has released.
If you want to speed up your detoxification process, drink lots of water. That sounds odd, particularly as if you’ve had swelling in your feet you’ll have noticed when you put your shoes back on that your feet are smaller, and then we’re telling you to drink. Sounds odd, right? Yeah, we get that. But do it anyway because the lymph system requires water to make it pump excess fluids.
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If you would like to book a last-minute appointment, please text us on 07757 946023 and we’ll try our best to sort something out within 24 hours.
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We’ll send over everything you need including consultation form and directions.
We have free off street parking directly outside our treatment rooms.