The lymphatic pump is a method of manipulation used by physicians who practice manual medicine (primarily

osteopathic physicians Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO or D.O., or in Australia DO USA) is a medical degree conferred by the 38 osteopathic medical schools in the United States. DO and Doctor of Medicine (MD) degrees are equivalent: a DO graduate may become licen ...

). Manual lymphatic drainage techniques remain a clinical art founded upon hypotheses, theory, and preliminary evidence.

History

The term lymphatic pump was invented by Earl Miller, D.O. to describe what was formerly known in osteopathic medicine as the thoracic pump technique.

Technique

The technique is applied to a person lying down by holding their ankle and applying gentle pressure repeatedly using the leg as a "lever" to rock the pelvis.

Relative contraindications

While no firmly established absolute contraindications exist for lymphatic techniques, the following cases are examples of relative contraindications:

bone fractures A bone fracture (abbreviated FRX or Fx, Fx, or #) is a medical condition in which there is a partial or complete break in the continuity of any bone in the body. In more severe cases, the bone may be broken into several fragments, known as a '' ...

bacterial infections Pathogenic bacteria are bacteria that can cause disease. This article focuses on the bacteria that are pathogenic to humans. Most species of bacteria are harmless and are often beneficial but others can cause infectious diseases. The number of t ...

with fever,

abscesses An abscess is a collection of pus that has built up within the tissue of the body. Signs and symptoms of abscesses include redness, pain, warmth, and swelling. The swelling may feel fluid-filled when pressed. The area of redness often extends ...

, and

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lymphatic Pump Alternative medicine Osteopathic manipulative medicine Osteopathic techniques Manual medicine