Lymph Therapies 2.06

Lymph Therapies is based in the heart of Pukekohe and is owned and operated by Diane Lacey.

Diane has been a Theatre Nurse for 28 years with a range of experience in General, Plastic, Reconstructive and Cosmetic surgery including Orthopaedic. She studied Massage at the New Zealand College of Massage in Auckland and gained a Diploma in Remedial Massage in 2007. During that time she became interested in the benefits of Manual Lymph Drainage and commenced her training with the Dr Vodder School in Australia and Austria and became a qualified Vodder therapist in 2008.

Diane has been providing Manual Lymph Drainage and Lymphoedema Therapy since 2008. She is passionate about the powerful effects of such a gentle technique and encourages more people to come and experience it,

What is Manual Lymph Drainage (MLD)
MLD was developed in the 1930’s by Dr Emil Vodder and his wife Estrid who were working as massage therapists in the French Riviera. The majority of their patients were English and were in the Riviera recovering from colds. They discovered that most of the patients had swollen lymph nodes in their necks. After treatment of the swollen nodes with MLD the colds vanished. During the 1930’s they continued their research in the anatomy and physiology of the lymph system and succeeded in developing a simple systematic list of massage movements which stimulated the lymph system to treat and prevent various ailments.

MLD is a gentle, slow, rhythmic and repetitive technique performed on skin without lubricant to stimulate lymph flow. Normal massage strokes are too forceful and may compress lymph vessels.

Benefits of MLD
Drains local swelling / haematoma (bruise)
Reduces pain
Treats scars – Regular MLD can reduce discolouration, itching, tension, encourage blood vessel growth and eliminate fibrosis.
Stimulates the formation of new lymph vessels.

MLD can help with:
Wound healing Scar treatment Pain Migraines
Digestive Disorders Detox tissues Sinusitis Rheumatism
Psoriasis Rosacea Fibromyalgia Hormonal Imbalances
Relaxation Lymphoedema Phleboedema Lipoedema
Acne

What Is Lymphoedema
Lymphoedema is a swelling caused by a buildup of fluid in the tissues and is a sign that the Lymphatic System is not working properly. This fluid behaves like a stagnant swamp and the cells cannot function as well and the tissues become clogged with waste. There are two types of Lymphoedema
Primary – This is due to a poorly formed Lymphatic system. It can arise at birth or Puberty.
Secondary – Result of trauma, surgery, removal and or radiation to lymph nodes. In the case of Breast Cancer the extent of damage to the Lymphatic system depends on the type of surgery you had and the number of nodes removed from your axilla. Not everyone who has surgery will develop Lymphoedema.

Lymphoedema Therapy
This is known as Combined Decongestive Therapy (CDT) and consists of MLD, Compression Bandages/Garments, Exercise and Skin Care.

MLD
This is designed to clear the backlog of lymph and help the lymphatic system to work better or to open new channels in nearby healthy tissue. The drainage starts on the unaffected side and gradually clears away the lymph to make room for lymph from the affected side.

Compression garments/bandages
For many people compression garments/bandages help to keep Lymphoedema under control. Ideally compression garments are worn all waking hours to keep the swelling down and stop the skin from stretching.

How do compression garments/bandages work?
No one understands completely how compression works but it is thought that compression increases the pressure in the fluid under the skin to:
• Reduce the leaking
• Improve the flow of leaked fluid back into vessels.

Exercise
Improves the pumping of lymph along the vessels and increases the uptake of fluid from tissues in the affected area.

Skin care
Ensuring skin is as healthy as possible reduces the risk of infection. The presence of bacteria means more inflammation which increases fluids in the tissues. This places added stress on the lymph system and may make Lymphoedema worse

MLD may not be suitable for you if you are having treatment for heart failure or blood clots or have an infection