Lymph Drainage Therapy

Lymphatic Drainage Therapy

A Hidden Key to Health and Longevity,
as Developed and Taught by Bruno Chikly, MD
Article © Dane Roubos, D.C.       http://www.BodyMindPeace.com

Before we get into Lymphatic Drainage Therapy and what it can do for you, I want to offer you some basic information about the mysterious Lymphatic System, because most people don’t know much about it.  I’ve tried to put some humor into it, because this science stuff can be rather dry! 

The Amazing Lymphatic System – Keeping You Alive and Well on a Day-to-Day Basis
What is lymph, and why do we need it?
Our tiny blood capillary walls are only one cell layer thick, to allow for exchange of nutrients and waste products.  But because they’re so thin, they’re also a little leaky.  In fact, about half of the protein in the blood leaks out over the course of a day, along with other blood components and plasma.

These gradually seep into the surrounding tissues, filling the spaces between the cells.  Since large molecules like protein attract water, it doesn’t take long before the tissues get rather swampy if nothing is done about it.  There goes the neighborhood . . .

Fortunately, our bodies have a built-in sump pump to gather up all that protein and fluid, along with toxic cellular waste products, dead cells, cancer cells, bacteria, etc, and carry it back to the blood stream – it’s called the Lymphatic System.  On the way back, everything passes through one or more lymph nodes where the bad stuff is broken down and any bacteria are destroyed – Yea

Since the lymph system isn’t world famous, you probably haven’t heard much about it, and may be wondering what all the fuss is about.  Let me give you an example of its importance.  Let’s say a couple of tiny juvenile delinquents snuck into your body while you were fast asleep and tied off all your lymph vessels, shutting down the lymph flow back to your bloodstream.

By the time you woke up the next morning, your body would be swelling up like a human balloon, you would feel like crap, and even calling in sick wouldn’t lift your spirits much.

It would rapidly progress from bad to worse, and within 24-48 hours you’d find yourself in the promised land (according to Guyton’s Physiology textbook).  Unfortunately, through a technical oversight Mr. Guyton neglected to mention anything about the juvenile delinquents or the promised land.  Oh, well, I trust you got the general idea.

Every living thing needs an effective system to remove and recycle waste from its tissues.  Needless to say, the lymph system gives new meaning to the concept of sustainable living!  Even subtle impairments can lead to problems.

Use this lymph trivia to amaze your friends!

• The lymph system filters about 1.5–3 liters of fluid daily
• There is three times as much lymph fluid (about 10.5 liters) in your body as there is blood (about 3.5 liters)
• There are 400-700 lymph nodes in your body which process and purify the lymph flowing through them
• Lymph vessels are found in almost every tissue
• Lymph is the only system capable of returning the “leaked” protein back to the blood (where it needs to be)
• The smallest lymph vessel cells (lymphangions) have spiral muscles that “squeeze” the lymph toward the heart in waves
• These cells contract repetitively about 15,000 times a day, with no time off for good behavior, and they do it all for you.  Now, that’s selfless service!
• Lymph waves occur about 5-15 times a minute, and can be perceived by sensitive hands
• Lymphangions can be activated by light pressure stretching the skin in the right direction
• The lymph vessels have valves to prevent back-flow
• About 85% of the cells in your lymph fluid are protective immune cells called Lymphocytes
• About 13-15% of the cells in your lymph fluid are protective immune cells called Macrophages
• These immune cells kick ass when they find cancer cells or foreign invaders
• A healthy lymph system does all this without you even having to think about it – it’s idiot-proof!

If the lymph system is so cool, why would we need a “therapy” for it?
Everything in the body is cool – in fact it’s all an awesome, mind-blowing miracle!  Trauma from injuries or surgery will often damage the lymph vessels.  Poor nutrition, inadequate exercise, inflammation, infection, exposure to toxins, and of course, stress, can all play havoc with the body’s tissues, including the lymphatic system.

Hopefully, this bit of background will give you a better understanding and appreciation, not only of the lymphatic system, but also what is to follow.

What is Lymph Drainage Therapy?
French physician Bruno Chikly, MD, was fascinated with the lymphatic system and conducted his own research into its function for many years.  As he realized its profound importance to our health, he began to develop new methods to improve its function.

He discovered that it was possible to “feel” the subtle waves of lymph flow, and developed a “mapping” process to identify areas that would benefit from treatment.  He also found that gently stretching the tissues around the lymph vessels in harmony with the “waves” would stimulate the little lymphangions, improving the flow in restricted areas and restoring health and vitality to affected tissues.

Over time, he created Lymphatic Drainage Therapy (LDT), wherein “Drainage” is pronounced French-like, as in “massage.”  There are other schools of Lymphatic therapies, but they do not have the ability to feel the lymphatic flow and are therefore more general and mechanical in their techniques.

Dr. Chikly’s Lymphatic Drainage Therapy is a sensitive, gentle, light touch manual therapy that is documented to provide these benefits:

• Stimulates blood circulation & reduces edema
• Stimulates and supports your immune system
• Calms the sympathetic nervous system (stress & fight or flight) and enhances the parasympathetic nervous system (promotes relaxation, digestion, and reduces pain & spasm)

Trained health practitioners will immediately recognize the power of these fundamental benefits which promote healing of every aspect of our mind and body.

In the next section, I’ll share with you some of the many uses I’ve found for it clinically.

Mystery, Magic and Practical Application of LDT
Having been a student of Dr. John Upledger’s CranioSacral Therapy, and Dr. Jean Pierre Barral’s Visceral Manipulation, I was no stranger to perceiving subtle movements of bones, organs and other tissues in the body.  But I admit I had my doubts about feeling the even subtler waves of low-volume lymph flow.  While this concern proved unfounded, I’m still amazed that I, or anyone for that matter, can feel such subtleties in the body.  This is part of the magic for me.

There is also a mystery to this work, and my work in general, regardless of which approach I’m using.  While the client will usually have something they would like me to focus on, and I may have an idea of where the session will go, there is almost always a surprise; an unexpected “discovery” that emerges during the session.

One, or both of us will often have insights that connect the physical issue we are working on with a life issue they’re engaged with, or sometimes they’ll have a memory of a particular event when “it all started” which we can then clear out during the session.

When I’m surrendered to the “process,” as is most often the case, I’m intuitively drawn to related areas that are also involved in some way.  Perhaps two or more organs need to be “reconnected” in their communication, or rebalanced in their relationship to take the next step in healing the underlying issue.  How any of this happens will probably always remain a mystery, which is OK with me.  I am only exceedingly grateful that it does, that people find it helpful, and that I get to be a part of it.

Practical Application
First, a little background.  Since I started chiropractic college in 1979, I’ve been working with “fixations” or limitations in joint movement thought to be due to restriction or shortening in the ligaments surrounding the joints of the spine or extremities, and part of the “subluxation complex.”  The typical chiropractic treatment for this is a forceful mobilization, usually resulting in the joint “popping” which people seem to either love or hate.

Over the years I’ve found that restricted visceral organs, muscles or other tissues could also cause spinal restrictions, apparently via their attachments to the spinal structure.  I also learned that the main cause of a spinal problem was often to be found some distance away from the actual pain or other symptoms, which made the intuitive part so helpful

This was all valuable information, and gently working with these hidden causes often proved helpful in reducing joint fixations and the resulting nerve irritation that caused so much trouble for people.  But it often didn’t completely clear out the fixations, so there was still a missing piece to the puzzle.

In the two years I’ve been using the Lymphatic therapy, I’ve found it has an amazing ability to “melt” many of these chronic fixations.  It can literally dissolve a long-standing spinal or extremity blockage, and restore the area to free and full movement.  If the release isn’t complete, the therapy has prepared the area for some gentle chiropractic mobilization, which will often finish the job.

I’ve also found that Lymphatic Drainage is great for restoring lost motion to restricted visceral organs.  Please see the article on Visceral Mobilization if you’d like to learn about the importance of freely moving organs.

To locate a Lymph Drainage Therapist in your area, visit the International Association of Health Care Practitioners. Lymph Drainage Therapy in the Modality section and enter your zip code (or the first 3 digits of your zip to extend the range of your search).

To be continued . .  .
Dr Dane