About Manual Lymphatic Drainage

The intricate lymphatic system is most known for its role in fluid balance and immunity.

When functioning optimally, the lymphatic system filters pathogens, alerts your immune cells to respond to infection, maintains blood volume, concentrates your water intake and returns it to the vascular system, transports proteins, and removes large molecular waste.

Many external and internal factors can alter the effectiveness of our lymphatic system including damage to lymph vessels and nodes (during development, surgery, and trauma), poor sleep, poor hydration, hormone imbalances, some medications, autoimmune disorders, stress, emotional trauma, physical trauma (sports injuries, car accidents, and concussions), and food sensitivities.

A lymphatic system that is unable to keep up with daily stressors will manifest as some of the more obvious symptoms such as heavy limbs, aching behind the knees, mild to severe swelling (tight fitting jewelry or clothes), decreased mobility and range of motion, and swollen lymph nodes in the neck, armpits, or groin area. More subtle symptoms can include headaches, brain fog, sinus congestion, and bowel irritation (which can also be caused by many other factors).

Vodder Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD) increases the rate of fluid processing through the lymphatic system by up to 30% for 6 hours after a treatment, on average! This allows a typically developed lymphatic system to “catch up” where it fell behind and return to more normal function. For an altered lymphatic system, Vodder MLD helps re-route the fluid away from insufficient or damaged areas to healthy lymph vessels and nodes.

When addressing superficial lymph vessels and nodes, MLD treatment involves a light touch, stretching the skin in the direction of lymph flow and slight rotation that allows the filaments of the initial lymph vessels and pre-collector vessels to suction fluid from the tissues into the lymphatic system. Occasionally more pressure is used when addressing the deep abdominal nodes, for example, but should never be painful or uncomfortable.

Benefits of Vodder Manual Lymphatic Drainage:

Besides reducing swelling, fighting pathogens, and filtering waste, clients report improved sleep, decreased pain, improved mobility and range of motion, decreased sinus pain and inflammation, decreased headaches, decreased brain fog, decreased puffiness in the eyes and face, improved blood pressure, decreased inflammation, balanced immune response, improved digestion, and improved bowel elimination.

Vodder MLD facilitates optimal lymphatic function.

About Katy

Katy Anderson, NCBTMB CMT-CLT is a board certified massage therapist and a *Vodder certified Manual Lymphatic Drainage therapist and educator specializing in post concussion symptoms, chronic pain and inflammation disorders, oncology, and post surgical recovery. She is passionate about all things involving the brain and lymphatic system: swelling, immune function, detoxification, and inflammation in humans and equines. Katy is dedicated to continual learning and skill advancement. Her priorities are safe, inclusive, excellent and effective care.

*Vodder Manual Lymphatic Drainage is the highest standard in the industry and is examinable by a Physician.