Lymphatic drainage
Lymphatic drainage (or compression massage, lymphatic massage, pressure therapy or pneumatic compression therapy) is a painless, non-invasive and relaxing physiotherapeutic procedure.
Lymphatic drainage has been used to treat oedemas since the 1930s, but with time and the development of devices, other applications of drainage have been discovered: this treatment works well as a form of active regeneration of athletes (amateurs, semi-professionals and professionals), and more and more often we find it in the offer of Wellness & Beauty salons, where its anti-cellulite, skin firming and body slimming properties are appreciated.
It can be performed manually, by a qualified specialist (usually a physiotherapist) and then it is called manual lymphatic drainage or mechanically by means of lymphatic drainage devices.
In both cases, the aims of the treatment are the same and, in general, they include:
- improving blood and lymph circulation,
- pushing the residual lymph towards the lymph nodes,
- removal of lymphatic oedema and exudates,
- improving the nutrition and oxygenation of the skin and other tissues.
For whom is lymphatic drainage
intended?
Indications for treatment
The number of indications for lymphatic drainage treatment is really impressive. It is one of the most universal physiotherapeutic treatments. Due to its therapeutic effect, lymphatic drainage is recommended:
- for the treatment of various types of oedemas (lymphatic, lipid) and lymphatic stasis (also post-traumatic, postoperative or accompanying pregnancy),
- after mastectomy (hand swelling),
- as a prevention of venous insufficiency and thrombosis,
- in ischaemic lower limb disease,
- in the case of "heavy legs" and teleangiectasia (so-called "spider veins"),
- in the case of osteoarthritis,
- in rheumatic diseases, including RA or JIA,
- in the course of gout,
- people with endocrine disorders (thyroid diseases, diabetes).
Sport and athletes
In the case of athletes, the indications for the use of lymphatic drainage are:
- post-workout regeneration (after training and competition starts),
- muscle fatigue, manifested by pain and tension,
- swelling, especially after contusions,
- preventively as a method to reduce the risk of injury.
Aesthetic and beauty industry
Among the aesthetic indications for lymphatic drainage, the most noteworthy are:
- cellulite,
- loss of skin firmness,
- excess fatty tissue,
- after liposuction in order to quickly remove swelling and as a method of preventing tissue fibrosis (one of the possible complications after liposuction).