Swelling can sometimes be caused by issues with the lymphatic system, especially if there does not appear to be any other causes, and a special lymphatic drainage massage can help to reduce swelling, relieve pain and provide significant relief.
Conditions such as lymphoedema, where soft swelling starts to build in one or multiple parts of the body, can be painful, restrict movement, or lead to potential long-term conditions.
It is caused by an issue with the lymphatic system’s ability to drain fluid away from itself, but this can be helped through stimulation via massages, as well as lifestyle changes and compression garments if necessary.
To understand how a massage can help relieve swelling, we need to understand what the lymphatic system is supposed to do and when it can go wrong.
What Does The Lymphatic System Do?
The lymphatic system is a linked system of tissues, organs and dedicated lymphatic vessels in the body that is used to help absorb fat, help battle infection, transport white blood cells around the body and maintain a fluid balance throughout your body.
Much like the bloodstream, the lymphatic system travels in one direction through the body to help collect and drain excess fluid between cells.
It is subsequently moved to lymph nodes, where the fluid is filtered and finally travels to the subclavian veins near your shoulders, where the lymphatic fluid returns to the bloodstream.
When Do You Need A Lymphatic Drainage Massage?
A lymphatic drainage massage is one of the primary ways to treat lymphoedema, as unlike blood, lymph vessels are not pumped using a central organ and excess fluid can sometimes get stuck.
Instead, skeletal muscles and breathing act as a pump, and one of the best ways to prevent excess lymphatic build-up is to regularly move your body, take deep breaths and drink lots of water.
This, along with the swelling of lymph nodes when you are actively battling an infection, will generally go away through normal actions.
However, if you have a lot of swelling, it is painful, is restricting movement and does not seem to be going away on its own, then you may need to manually drain the lymphatic fluid.
As well as this, if you feel fatigued, have regular headaches or brain fog, regular rashes and swollen nodes in your neck, you also may benefit from a massage.
The most common way to do this is through a lymphatic drainage massage.
How Does A Lymphatic Drainage Massage Work?
A lymphatic drainage massage uses gentle techniques to soothe inflammation and to move lymphatic fluid from the tissues of the body, which allows it to be properly filtered, absorbed and moved from the lymphatic system out of the body.
This typically involves stimulating the parts of your body which have lymph nodes, which include the neck, the armpits, around the knees and elbows, and around the groin, with your consent and if it is necessary for the treatment.
Once completed, your massage therapist should also teach you a few maintenance massages you can use to keep the swelling away between sessions.
