What is the Lymphatic System?
The Lymphatic system is the body's 'filtration system'.
It helps protect us from infection and disease and is part of the body’s immune system.
It is made up of:
- connection of tubes,
- lymph nodes,
- various lymphatic organs
which works alongside the circulatory and immune systems.
The nodes act as a filter. They trap or destroy anything harmful that the body does not need.
The lymphatic system is a passive one-way system, meaning that it relies on external forces like gravity, muscle contractions & massage, to move the lymph (clear watery fluid) around the body.
What does the Lymphatic System do?
Drain and filter fluid from the cells and tissue, to prevent infection of the blood and tissue.
- Transport metabolic waste
- Helps to remove bacteria from the body
- Transports cells with immune properties around the body to localise infection.
- Carries food components (mainly fats) from the small intestines to the blood circulation.
Symptoms of poor Lymphatic system
- feeling drained/under the weather
- an aching, heavy feeling
- difficulty with movement
- repeated skin infections
- Swelling of arms/legs/fingers etc
Consequences of a poor Lymphatic system
If the Lymphatic system is not working properly the connected systems, like the immune system, will not be working at optimal levels and its ability to fight illness will be less effective.
You could experience more pain and inflammation in the body because the Lymphatic system are not helping to move toxins out of the body.
Feeling drained/tired can have a knock on effect on your mood and sleep.You can also experience muscle fatigue.
Signs of infections that would require a visit to your GP:
- a discolouration/reddening of the skin and/or swollen lymph nodes (normally a sign of infection),
- swelling in soft tissue (Lymphedema), cellulitis (infection in the deeper lavers of skin caused by bacteria)
How to improve your Lymphatic Health
- Drink plenty of water
- Exercise
- Eat healthy
- Lymphatic drainage massage
What is?
- Lymphoedema: is a long-term (chronic) condition that causes swelling in the body's tissues. It can affect any part of the body, but usually develops in the arms or legs.
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Lipoedema: abnormal build-up of fat in your legs and sometimes arms. It can be painful and affect daily life
How we can help Post viral Infection
Viral Infections can leave you feeling tired, drained and sluggish long after infection has cleared up. We often hear people complain of brain fog and being unable to get back to pre infection level of activity.
Lymphatic drainage massage can help give your immune system a boost and flood out any toxins in your system.
This improve your overall feeling of wellbeing. It can reduce pain and feeling of stiffness or feeling sluggish. It can leave you feeling relaxed which will help with brain fog and improve sleep.
Following this, Physical therapy treatments can also help further reduce any pain and improve range of movement by removing any restrictions and help you train more effectively.
We can also provide some exercises and stretches to further work on getting you back to your normal self.
Find more resources on Post Viral Fatigue
How can Lymphatic Drainage help with Fibromyalgia & Rheumatoid arthritis
Everyone experience symptoms from these conditions differently, but Lymphatic treatments can help to:
- reduce pain
- reduce stiffness
- Improve sleep
- Boost immune system
- Improve overall feeling of wellbeing
- Encourage the removal of toxins
- reduce inflammation
How can Lymphatic Drainage help Pre & Post Surgery
Pre surgery, this will prep and give the body's lymphatic system a boost before going into surgery.
Post surgery, a Lymphatic treatment will help to speed up recovery time. Swelling after a treatment is a very common outcome of surgery. Massage will help to speed up the removal of this extra fluid. It will also remove waste product, bacteria, viruses as well as helping with any post surgery symptoms/complications.
Common conditions/symptoms Lymphatic treatments can help with
- post viral fatigue,
- brain fog,
- Lymphoedema,
- Lipoedema,
- Fibromyalgia,
- Rheumatoid arthritis,
- Pre or post surgery
Treatments that can help:
Lymphatic massage
Lymphatic massage is a very light massage that encourage the flow of lymph fluid.
The massage can be more specific to certain areas on the body which need the massage (limbs, torso, face e.g.) and usually this treatment will take up to 40 mins.
The EMMETT lymphatic sequence
The EMMETT Technique uses light finger pressure, in specific spots around the body to relax the muscles.
The EMMETT lymphatic sequence doesn’t take up as much time (around 15-20 mins) but is targeted as more of a full body treatment, therefore this can be used alongside a lymphatic massage. This treatment will also give the immune system a kick start into moving the lymph around the body.
Get in touch if you have any questions.
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