Lymph Drainage is a therapy that targets what I like to think of as “the ocean of the body”. Mentioned by the Greeks as early as Hippocrates time (460-377 B.C.E) as “white blood”, the lymphatic system of the human body, although sited throughout history, did not have it’s first documented discovery until 1628. Since that time much has been learned about the lymphatic system and thus the therapy known as Manual Lymphatic Therapy was born.

It is important to understand the difference between treating edema and treating lymphedema.

For more information specific to post-cosmetic surgery please visit this post (click here).

The certification CLT is reserved for those therapists that have acquired the training required to treat the more complicated diagnosis of LYMPHEDEMA, vs the edema that occurs with cosmetic surgery or many other surgeries, injuries etc. I have been working with the lymphatic system for 20 years, having been trained in both the Vodder technique (MLD) and the Chickly technique (LDT). I received my certification for CLT, treatment of lymphedema, in early 2023. 

A little bit about LYMPHEDEMA. 

Lymphedema is considered a disease process, whereas regular edema is not. There is not a cure for lymphedema at this time, it is a matter of on-going maintenance and understanding the things you can do to decongest the effected area and increase tissue pressure using compression.

In the case of lymphedema there is abnormal accumulation of protein rich fluid in the interstitial space due to a mechanical insufficiency of the of the lymphatic system. Because the proteins are hydrophilic (attracting water) and unable to diffuse out of the space, they will continually attract water. 

There are two types of lymphedema: primary and secondary. Primary lymphedema means a person was born with it, but it may not be revealed until the second, third, forth (or later) decade of life… an example of this would be an athlete that injures themselves and the swelling in their limb does not go down, even several months later. Primary lymphedema has been revealed and must be treated. Secondary lymphedema is when there is a known mechanical insult to the lymphatic system. The most common cause of lymphedema in the United States is the surgery to treat breast cancer, when lymph nodes are removed. 

Complete Decongestive Therapy (CDT) is the treatment for both primary and secondary lymphedema, and is the therapy a CLT has been trained to apply. There are five components to CDT that your therapist will work with you on… they include MLD (manual lymph drainage) as well as compression garments.  

If you see a therapist for treatment of regular edema (not lymphedema) MLD will be the main treatment and perhaps, case by case, compression may be recommended for the short term.

MLD is a very gentle technique that works through the body’s lymphatic system to activate the body fluid circulation and stimulate the functioning of the immune and parasympathetic nervous systems. The result of these actions can include reductions in edemas, detoxification of the body, de- congestion of an effected limb or area, regeneration of tissue as well as many other benefits.

Using exacting anatomical science and distinctive manual processes, MLD enables practitioners to detect the specific rhythm, direction, depth and quality of the lymph flow anywhere in the body. From there they can use their hands to perform Manual Lymphatic Drainage, using specific protocols depending on the cause of edema or lymphedema.