Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD)

Developed in the 1930s by a Danish massage therapist, Dr Emil Vodder, manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) is a gentle, but amazingly powerful, technique that consists of slow, delicate, repetitive movements. Dr Vodder and his wife discovered that gently palpating and moving the skin could stimulate the lymphatic system and improve congested conditions. This led them to develop a system to treat the whole body.



Consult a qualified medical practitioner if there is a serious or persistent condition, such as swelling that occurs in heart failure, cancer, or thrombosis.

Why MLD?

Healthy connective tissue nourishes every body cell, but when it is congested, cell nutrition and the flow of waste products to the bloodstream slows down. When the lymphatic system is stimulated by MLD, this stagnation is reversed, the body functions more healthily, and the immune system is strengthened.

MLD is an extremely versatile treatment. It can help reduce swelling and bruising, minimize scarring, speed up healing, relieve sinus congestion, reduce water retention and cellulite, help ease arthritic pain, and is useful as a first-aid treatment for minor burns, bumps, and scratches.

Whatever the condition you are treating with MLD, always begin on the neck. This area has the greatest concentration of lymph nodes in the body, containing approximately 30 percent of the total.

Self-treatment

Stationary circles are the easiest and best movements to use in self-treatment. The following treatment is designed to reduce puffiness and firm the skin. There is no need to use oil. The movements should be repetitive and gentle, so that the skin is moved superficially.

Neck and shoulders

Raise your elbows so that they are at right angles to your body, and place your hands on either side of the neck. Straighten but relax your fingers, and use the middle part to gently circle the skin back and down. Release, and let the skin gently pull your fingers upward to complete the circle. Repeat four times, then move your hands a finger's width." down your neck and repeat another five times. Now cross your arms in front of your chest and make five stationary circles at the tops of your shoulders, bringing the skin toward your collar bone. Repeat the entire sequence three times.

Race an Jaw

Place your hands on either side of your chin, and make five stationary circles at three overlapping positions, working toward your ears. Move the skin down toward your body and release out toward your ears. Repeat the sequence three times. Then make stationary circles over the rest of your face, using the length of all your fingers on the flatter areas, and one or two fingers on either side of your nose.

Eyes

If you have puffiness or discoloration under your eyes, make stationary circles in three positions along the edges of the semicircles just above your cheekbones, starting beside your nose. Use the pads of your fingers and apply half the pressure used elsewhere. Finally, make stationary circles down each side of your face and repeat step 1 three more times.

For MLD to work successfully, it must be used on a regular basis.

Treating a partner

The slow and repetitive moves of MLD can have an incredibly soporific effect and may be used as a calming technique, sending your partner to sleep within minutes. MLD takes practice to master, but you can use the following key movements as an introduction and keep practicing on your partner until you feel the moves are really flowing and you can see the results. Stationary circles are used mainly on the face and other sensitive areas; pump and scoop techniques on the limbs; and rotary movements on larger, flatter areas, such as the back and abdomen.

Stationary circles

Place your fingers on either side of the jaw, and complete five stationary circles at three overlapping positions, working toward the ears: move the skin gently toward the body, then out to the ears, then allow the skin to pull your fingers back. Repeat three times.

Place your fingers on either' side of the mouth, and make five stationary circles with relaxed, straight fingers. Continue on the rest of the face.

Pump and scoop

Before working on the leg, clear the groin area with stationary circles toward the body. Then bend the knee and place one hand on the front of the leg and the other on the back.

For the pump action, use the hand at the front of the leg to stretch the skin gently out toward each side. Then ease the skin up toward the body.

Follow with a scoop: use the hand at the back of the leg to push the skin upward in a light, scooping motion. Continue up to the knee with alternate pumps and scoops, doing three pumps and three scoops.

Rotary movements

Place your hands on the lower back so that your thumbs are at right angles to the spine. Gently move the skin forward and out with your palms, then release and let the skin bring your hands back. Lift up your wrists, glide your fingers forward slightly, lower your palms again, and repeat. Work up the back with these rotary movements.

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