Pros of Getting a Lymphatic Massage
In recent years, lymphatic massage – also known as manual lymphatic drainage massage – has become a popular form of reflexology, not only because it feels good, but also due to its many potential health benefits.
As its name implies, lymphatic massage focuses on the lymphatic system, which is a part of your immune system. The technique aims to help your body maintain proper blood circulation, body fluid balance, and effective immune function.
Outlined in this article are the benefits of getting a lymphatic massage as well as the medical conditions that could benefit from it.
Benefits of Getting a Lymphatic Massage
The gentle, slow, and rhythmic strokes carried out during manual lymphatic drainage are aimed at facilitating the healthy circulation of lymph throughout the body and enhancing the function of the lymphatic system.
A lymphatic massage has been shown to provide the following health benefits:
- Helps facilitate weight loss
- Improves skin tone and quality
- Prevents scar tissue formation
- Provides stress relief
- Reduces risk of infection
- Reduces swelling and fluid retention
- Speeds up healing from an illness, or recovery from an injury or surgery
Conditions Treated with Lymphatic Massage
Lymphatic massage is particularly beneficial for people with mild cases of varicose veins and lymphedema, the latter of which is a condition that causes swelling usually in one of the legs or arms. Lymphedema occurs due to the buildup of lymph fluid in the soft tissues, resulting in pain, skin discoloration, heaviness or weakness in the limb, hardening or thickening of skin, and/or recurring infections.
Although the mainstay of noninvasive treatment for these conditions is compression therapy (use of tight compression of bandages or stockings), a lymphatic drainage massage can greatly enhance the outcome of the treatment.
Lymphatic massage has also been shown to provide benefits for a number of other health issues, including the following:
- Rheumatoid arthritis – Lymphatic massage can help relieve the symptoms of advanced-stage RA caused by poor lymph flow, such as swelling, joint pain and loss of function, and skin discoloration.
- Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) – CVI is a condition in which your leg veins fail to transport blood back to your heart, causing blood to pool in them. CVI is associated with varicose veins.
If you have CVI, a lymphatic massage can help to increase the pace of your blood flow by enhancing the function of the artery in your upper thigh (femoral artery).
- Fibromyalgia – Lymphatic massage has been shown to outperform connective tissue massage in alleviating the symptoms of fibromyalgia, a condition that causes widespread body pain.
Lymphatic Massage in Kansas City and Marshall, Missouri
If you have lymphedema, CVI, or a mild case of varicose veins and want to learn more about how lymphatic massage can benefit you, speak with our trusted vein expert here at Missouri Vein Specialists— Dr. Scott Darling. He will gladly provide you with comprehensive and useful information not only about lymphatic massage but also about the other treatments that he offers for vein disorders to help you make the decisions about your care.
To schedule an appointment with Dr. Darling, contact our staff either online or by calling (816) 792-3400.
