Manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) is a type of

massage Massage is the manipulation of the body's soft tissues. Massage techniques are commonly applied with hands, fingers, elbows, knees, forearms, feet or a device. The purpose of massage is generally for the treatment of body stress or pain. In E ...

based on the hypothesis that it will encourage the natural drainage of the

lymph Lymph (from Latin, , meaning "water") is the fluid that flows through the lymphatic system, a system composed of lymph vessels (channels) and intervening lymph nodes whose function, like the venous system, is to return fluid from the tissues ...

, which carries waste products away from the tissues back toward the heart. The

lymph system The lymphatic system, or lymphoid system, is an organ system in vertebrates that is part of the immune system, and complementary to the circulatory system. It consists of a large network of lymphatic vessels, lymph nodes, lymphatic or lymphoi ...

depends on intrinsic contractions of the smooth muscle cells in the walls of

lymph vessels The lymphatic vessels (or lymph vessels or lymphatics) are thin-walled vessels (tubes), structured like blood vessels, that carry lymph. As part of the lymphatic system, lymph vessels are complementary to the cardiovascular system. Lymph vessel ...

(

peristalsis Peristalsis ( , ) is a radially symmetrical contraction and relaxation of muscles that propagate in a wave down a tube, in an anterograde direction. Peristalsis is progression of coordinated contraction of involuntary circular muscles, whi ...

) and the movement of

skeletal muscle Skeletal muscles (commonly referred to as muscles) are organs of the vertebrate muscular system and typically are attached by tendons to bones of a skeleton. The muscle cells of skeletal muscles are much longer than in the other types of m ...

s to propel lymph through the vessels to

lymph node A lymph node, or lymph gland, is a kidney-shaped organ of the lymphatic system and the adaptive immune system. A large number of lymph nodes are linked throughout the body by the lymphatic vessels. They are major sites of lymphocytes that includ ...

s and then to the

lymph duct A lymph duct is a great lymphatic vessel that empties lymph into one of the subclavian veins. There are two lymph ducts in the body—the right lymphatic duct and the thoracic duct. The right lymphatic duct drains lymph from the right upper li ...

s, which return lymph to the

cardiovascular system The blood circulatory system is a system of organs that includes the heart, blood vessels, and blood which is circulated throughout the entire body of a human or other vertebrate. It includes the cardiovascular system, or vascular system, tha ...

. Manual lymph drainage uses a specific amount of pressure (less than 9oz per square inch or about 4 kPa), and rhythmic circular movements to stimulate lymph flow.

Medical use

Studies show mixed results regarding the efficacy of the method in treating lymphedema, and further studies are needed. A 2013 systematic review of manual lymphatic drainage with regard to

breast cancer Breast cancer is cancer that develops from breast tissue. Signs of breast cancer may include a lump in the breast, a change in breast shape, dimpling of the skin, milk rejection, fluid coming from the nipple, a newly inverted nipple, or ...

–related lymphedema found no clear support for the effectiveness of the intervention in either preventing limb edema in at-risk women or treating women for the condition.

History

Manual lymphatic drainage was pioneered by Danish Drs.

Emil Vodder Danish Dr. Emil Vodder (20 February 1896 - 17 February 1986) and his wife Dr. Estrid Vodder proposed the alternative medicine practice of "lymphology". While working on the French Riviera treating patients with chronic colds, they noticed these pat ...

and Estrid Vodder in the 1930s for the treatment of chronic

sinusitis Sinusitis, also known as rhinosinusitis, is inflammation of the mucous membranes that line the sinuses resulting in symptoms that may include thick nasal mucus, a plugged nose, and facial pain. Other signs and symptoms may include fever, head ...

and other immune disorders. While working on the

French Riviera The French Riviera (known in French as the ; oc, Còsta d'Azur ; literal translation " Azure Coast") is the Mediterranean coastline of the southeast corner of France. There is no official boundary, but it is usually considered to extend from ...

treating patients with chronic colds, the Vodders noticed these patients had swollen lymph nodes. In 1932, at a time when the lymphatic system was poorly understood, they began to develop light, rhythmic hand movements hoping to promote lymph movement. In 1936, they introduced this technique in Paris, France, and after World WarII, they returned to Copenhagen to teach other practitioners to use this therapy.

References

External links

Explanation of Manual lymphedema therapy
on

National Cancer Institute The National Cancer Institute (NCI) coordinates the United States National Cancer Program and is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which is one of eleven agencies that are part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. T ...

. {{DEFAULTSORT:Manual Lymphatic Drainage Alternative medical systems Massage therapy