This is a body system comprised of organs, vessels, and nodes.
Its function is to detoxify and defend the body.
It does this through a fluid flush.
Everything in your body is sitting in Interstitial Fluid that has leaked out of your blood capillaries.
(ISF will be "plasma" once it has been reabsorbed into the circulatory system and is "lymph" when it is absorbed into the lymphatic system)
Lymphatic capillaries absorb all the excess fluid in your body and flush it through the one way Lymphatic Vessels and Lymph Nodes to be identified, cleansed, and repaired by the cells made in the Lymphatic Organs.
People compare it to the circulatory system because its capillaries reach everywhere.
This system has to be manually pumped, unlike the heart.
This pump can come from massage, deep breathing, or exercise.
Here is more detail...
Some Notes and Definitions
The cellular information
lymphocytes and monocytes are cells that are a crucial part of the lymphatic system
lymphocytes include 20-40% of your white blood cells and have a "memory"
fight disease
identifying cells as helpful or dangerous
T cells: these destroy marked pathogens and call more cells to help
B cells: these make pathogen-specific markers to flag them for destruction
natural killer cells: these can kill tumor and virus cells without prior exposure to them
monocytes include 2-8% of your white blood cells
macrophage: engulfs pathogens and remove the dead cells
dendritic cell: these alert other white blood cells of danger and its location. they also take identifying information from the pathogen to the other white blood cells to help them create a specific neutralizer
Main Organs and Major Nodes
| Thymus |
place where T cells mature
much less active after adolescence
| Spleen |
filters blood and removes damaged red blood cells
stores monocytes
| Tonsils |
protects against inhaled or ingested pathogens
| Peyer's Patches |
protects against pathogens in your small intestine
| Bone Marrow |
forms all blood cells
place where B cells mature
| Lymph Nodes |
filters lymph and traps pathogens to be marked and destroyed
where lymphocytes interact with pathogens
Ducts, Veins, and Major Nodes
|Right Lymphatic Duct |
drains from right side
head
temple
TMJ area
neck (.5 in below earlobe)
mid jaw
chin
neck (cervical nodes)
arm (axillary nodes)
upper torso (mediastinal nodes)
|Thoracic Duct |
drains from the
legs
abdominal area
the left side of chest, head, and neck
located vertically from T12 to your collarbone
bottom portion forms into the Cisterna Chyli
| Cisterna Chyli |
vessels draining specifically from the lower trunk and pelvis
|Subclavian Vein |
location under the collarbone
brings oxygen poor blood back to the heart
lymphatic system dumps into here
|
Lymphatic Drainage is the flush
Lymphatic Drainage massage is facilitating that flush through manual massage therapy
To help imagine this process
pour water on a table
is it just sitting there? unless something moves it - yes.
you could tilt the table and the water would flow
this is why stillness is not good for the lymphatic system, it creates stagnant lymph
our bodies prevent backflow in the lymphatic system by utilizing one way valves in the lymphatic vessels
as gently as you can with your hands, push the water across the table
it takes very little pressure to move the water - similar to your lymph.
too much pressure will collapse the lymphatic vessel.
The Flow
*Definitions are in the "What is the Lymphatic System" section*
your lymphatic capillaries absorb fluid that has leaked out of your blood and into "empty space" in your tissues.
then
this fluid travels into your lymphatic vessels and nodes
depending on which part of the body this lymph fluid is coming from
it directs back into the bloodstream through the
right lymphatic duct
or
thoracic duct
Both of these ducts dump lymph into the subclavian vein where it reabsorbs into the blood
A system specifically for your brain to remove waste and distribute nutrients using a "fluid highway"
This process happens naturally while you sleep
removes
lactic acids
protein build up
excess potassium
redistributes
amino acids (protein builders)
sugar (energy)
fats (energy stores)
neurotransmitters (chemical messengers)
The Flow
Your glymphatic systems drains through the meningeal lymphatic vessels to the deep cervical lymph nodes
hydrate (through water, fruits & veggies, and minerals)
deep breathe (pumps the cisterna chyli)
exercise (stimulates lymph flow)
avoid toxins
receive lymphatic drainage massage
Conditions that can be improved by LMD:
bloating
post operative lymphedema
brain fog
autoimmune disease
digestion trouble
Always consult your doctor.
Conditions that LDM will pose a risk to:
Congestive Heart Failure
Kidney Failure
Liver Disease
Blood Clots
Active Illness/Infection
This massage uses extremely light pressure. Think, all you would need to push water across a table.
Usually people will notice an increase in urination, sounder sleep, and decrease in water weight.
I will start by
stimulating and opening the main terminals and nodes in multiple areas on your body with light vibration and pressure
then
using light vibrations, sweeping hand motions, and assisted movements
I assist the lymph through its natural cycle for every region of your body
This includes feet, legs, hips, glutes, back, armpits/arms, sides/torso, chest, stomach, neck, and head.
While you do not need to do a whole body session every time, especially if you are targeting a specific area or issue, I will always need to "clear a path" for that section to drain in to which may lead us to be working on multiple regions even for targeted work.
During the massage you may experience some headache, dizziness, or nausea if you have very stagnant lymph or have a lot of toxins in your blood. To avoid this limit sugar, alcohol, caffeine, environmental toxins, stay hydrated, and active.