Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD)   

A little history...​

In 1932 Dr. Emil Vodder, a Ph.D. and massage therapist and his wife Estrid, a naturopath, opened a clinic in Cannes, France.  They noticed that most of their English patients, who had traveled south to recover from chronic colds, had swollen lymph nodes in their necks.  One particular patient with swollen lymph nodes suffered from a nose and throat infection, migraine and acne.  Until that time, it had been considered taboo in the medical community to touch or treat lymph nodes.  Dr. Vodder, however, had a different viewpoint.  Utilizing his knowledge of lymphatic physiology to envision drainage pathways, Vodder began to treat the patient with light circular movements.  After about ten treatments, the patient was completely cured without side-effects or recurrence.  Thus began the Vodders’ 40+ year career creating and developing The Vodder Method of Manual Lymph Drainage Therapy.  During this time, they uncovered the therapy’s many benefits and refined its therapeutic application while also training thousands of therapists in the technique.  The Vodder Method has come to be recognized by the medical community as the gold standard in lymphatic therapy.  Many practitioners have expanded on the Vodders’ work, but it remains the basis of most lymphatic therapies that have followed including The Alatriste Method of Manual Lymphatic Drainage and Lymphedema Therapy.

What is Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD)?

MLD is a light, soothing, non-invasive manual technique which moves fluid out of the body tissue and into the lymphatic system.  The MLD therapist gently stretches the skin with precise, rhythmic pressure to open and close the tiny lymphatic vessels just underneath.  This repetitive motion encourages a larger volume of stagnant fluid (edema) to be removed.  The therapist directs fluid through specific channels into lymph nodes where pathogens, metabolic waste and toxins are neutralized.  Blood circulation then increases, allowing fresh nutrient exchange and resulting in better health and well being.

During an MLD treatment, underlying tissue is softened and fluid is removed at a faster rate.  Due to increased blood circulation, cellular regeneration is enhanced promoting skin rejuvenation.  MLD treatments also stimulate immunity, inhibit pain receptors and reduce stress.  While MLD is helpful in reducing edema and scarring caused by trauma, surgery or chronic inflammation, it also assists in recovery from many other conditions and is an excellent esthetic and wellness therapy.

MLD Therapy provides many health benefits including:

• Edema Reduction:  increases the volume and rate of fluid, proteins and large molecules drained from tissue; removes excess and stagnant fluid; softens colloidal tissue.
• ​Pain Reduction:  inhibits pain signals to nerve receptors; reduces pressure from swelling.
• ​Scar Tissue Reduction:  reduces fibrosis and keloids; increases local skin elasticity; reduces discoloration; increases cell regeneration.
• ​Detoxification:  removes cellular debris, pathogens, toxic substances, and foreign particulates from the tissue; cleanses and neutralizes these substances in the lymph nodes.​
• ​Increased Circulation:  promotes the flow of fresh blood plasma into tissue that has been drained.  This provides oxygen and nutrients at a faster rate; returns cleansed fluid to the blood; increases cell regeneration.
• ​Immunity Stimulation:  increases production and activity of immune cells which eliminate or neutralizes pathogens, toxins and waste in the lymph nodes; reduces the chance of infection.
• ​Stress Reduction:  stimulates the parasympathetic “rest” autonomic nerve response – countering the sympathetic “fight or flight” response to stress stimuli.

Some of the many indications for MLD Therapy include:

• Surgery (orthopedic, plastic, reconstruction):  prior to surgery – creates an optimal environment in the tissue; post-surgery – reduces swelling, pain and scarring to speed recovery and rehabilitation.
• Orthopedic (i.e. arthritis, joint and soft tissue injuries):  reduces inflammation and pain; speeds recovery and rehabilitation.
• Esthetic:  encourages cell regeneration.  MLD is a natural anti-aging therapy; reducing scars and puffiness and refreshing wrinkled and aging skin.
• Health and Wellness:  improves the tissue environment through detoxification, better nutrient circulation, and stress reduction.  Enhanced immunity can prevent disease, accelerate healing and increase a sense of well-being.
• Lymphedema Prevention and Treatment:  MLD is an important component of Combined Decongestive Therapy – the most effective treatment for lymphedema.  It assists in building and establishing alternate lymphatic pathways around impaired lymphatic tissue.  MLD can help cancer patients prevent or delay the onset of Lymphedema.
  

MLD and Massage Therapies

While MLD resembles massage in the application of hands on the body, the techniques and effects are very different and distinct.  Massage pushes past the skin to penetrate deeply into the muscle and connective tissue.  It is effective in softening and lengthening hard contracted muscle as well as breaking-up adhesions and scar tissue.  Notably, massage also increases fluid volume in the tissue.  In contrast, MLD lightly stretches the skin to pull fluid into initial lymphatic vessels, stimulating the pumping action of the deeper lymphatic vessels.  MLD reduces fluid volume by removing proteins from the tissue, allowing more nutrients to enter and regenerate tissue cells.  MLD stimulates the parasympathetic response, inducing relaxation and reducing the undesirable “fight or flight” stress response.  Massage can do this also, but deep and sometimes painful pressure can actually lead to a “fight or flight” response.  Often, a combination of massage followed by MLD is an effective approach to alleviate chronic pain; first softening muscle tissue with massage and then employing MLD to reduce swelling, detoxify and remove underlying stressors.