Lymphatic Massage, Clogged Drains and Fibromyalgia Pain

In 2015 investigators Yuan SL, Matsutani LA, and Marques AP noted lymphatic massage as the most helpful type of massage for fibromyalgia. So what is lymphatic massage and why is it important to our health?

The lymph system

To understand why manual lymphatic massage is beneficial for those of us with fibromyalgia, we must first understand how it works.

Courtesy PrintableDiagrams.com via Google

The purpose of our lymph system is to maintain fluid balance in our body’s tissue. Lymph vessels carry lymph fluid around our body and through our lymph nodes where cellular trash is filtered and collected. Special blood cells, called macrophages, then digest the cellular debris before recycled lymph fluid is returned to circulation as plasma, the liquid part of blood.

Unlike our blood circulation, our lymph system is passive. This means circulation of lymph fluid depends solely on contraction of surrounding muscles during exercise, body movement, deep breathing, and properly functioning organs. When movement is disrupted, excessive lymph accumulates leading to swelling, called edema, and a buildup of toxins in our tissue. 

As a nurse and a patient, I know the important role of the lymph system. I have idiopathic edema—a fancy way of saying “yes, you are swelling, but we don’t know why”. In 1994, Deodhar AA, Fisher RA, Blacker CV, and Woolf AD concluded that rheumatologists should be aware of fluid retention syndrome and fibromyalgia. I couldn’t find any recent data on this. But, I suspect this type of swelling in fibromyalgia could be due to immune system dysfunction as identified by the FM/a® blood test. Because of this long-standing issue, I had to get creative when recovering from skin cancer surgery on my leg. I knew I needed to optimize my already damaged immune system so I could heal.

For any number of reasons, our lymph system sometimes needs help to reduce swelling. That’s where lymphatic massage comes in.

What is lymphatic massage?

Lymphatic massage, also known as Vodder Lymphatic Massage, was pioneered by Dr. Vodder it in the 1930’s for treating chronic sinusitis and other immune disorders. The therapist manipulates the body externally through massage, which opens lymphatic ducts and helps reduce stagnation and generalized swelling. Lymphatic massage encourages the flow of lymph fluid through muscles and tissues and into the lymph system for circulation. 

Manual Lymph Drainage (Vodder Technique) massage requires special training. You can find a therapist at Dr. Vodder School of International.

*There are some health conditions where massage should be avoided.

Additional reading:
Exercise and the Forgotten Lymph (from my website)

Leg Circulation, Skin Cancer and My Second Pump?

BODY-WORK: The Anatomy’s’ Labor of Love

In healing,,Celeste

"Adversity is only an obstacle if we fail to see opportunity."

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Celeste Cooper, RN

Author—Patient—Freelance Writer at Health Central & ProHealth —Advocate

Celeste’s Website: http://CelesteCooper.com

Learn more about Celeste’s books at her website or find links here on Celeste's  blog. Subscribe to posts by using the information in the upper right hand corner or use the share buttons to share with others.

All blogs and comments are based on the author's opinions and are not meant to replace medical advice.  

Lymphatic Massage

The lymph system collects and cleans up cellular garbage, which is then returned to circulation as plasma. Lymph fluid movement requires exercise, deep breathing, body movement, and properly functioning organ activity. If movement is disrupted, excessive lymph accumulates in the lymph system and causes swelling. Lymphatic Massage/Drainage opens lymphatic ducts aids in reducing generalized swelling.

http://www.ehow.com/lymphatic-massage/

Book Excerpt ©

There are three types of swelling. Diffuse swelling occurs with interstitial edema, localized swelling takes place around a lymph node from chronic infection, and there is swelling from myofascial entrapment of lymph and blood vessels.

… Idiopathic edema, a form of fluid retention found in FM, occurs more frequently in women. Interstitial edema is caused by abnormal biochemicals that cause fluid to be retained in the spaces between tissues. These spaces, called interstitial spaces, are part of the ground substance in the myofascia. … You haveto figure out why the edema is building up in the interstitial spaces, and remedy that perpetuating factor. “Treating the cause is the best way to treat the effect.”

The second type of swelling is that caused by obstructed lymph flow. Swelling that occurs around a lymph node is the result of accumulated dead cellular matter and bacteria in the node as a response to chronic infection. Lymph nodes act like filters. The filter—the lymph node—can get stopped up from excessive accumulation of unwanted organisms, like a shower drain clogs with hair. When this happens, the lymph fluid backs up in the lymph vessels causing localized swelling. People with FM, CFID, and CMP can have this kind of swelling; however, it is more commonly seen in CFID patients.

… The third kind of swelling is that seen in CMP patients. This is swelling caused by blood or lymph vessel entrapment by taut bands of muscle fiber, as discussed in chapter 1. Trigger points (TrPs) that occur near lymph nodes may be mistaken for swollen nodes when they are actually TrPs. Lymph fluid, unlike blood, which is moved along by specific vessel mechanics, requires modalities such as exercise, deep breathing, body movement, and properly functioning organ activity to keep it moving. When any of these are disrupted, excessive lymph accumulates in the lymph system and

causes swelling. [In this case, the trigger points must be treated to release the flow of lymph].

I hope you have found this helpful in understanding swelling/edema.

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All answers and blogs are based on the author's opinions and writing and are not meant to replace medical advice.  

Celeste Cooper is a retired RN, educator, fibromyalgia patient, and lead author of the Broken Body Wounded Spirit: Balancing the See Saw of Chronic Pain devotional series (coauthor, Jeff Miller PhD), and Integrative Therapies for Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Myofascial Pain: The Mind-Body Connection (coauthor, Jeff Miller PhD) She is a fibromyalgia expert for Dr. Oz, et al., at Sharecare.com, here, and she advocates for all chronic pain patients as a participant in the Pain Action Alliance to Implement a National Strategy, here. You can read more educational information and about her books on her website, http://TheseThree.com