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Manual Lymphatic Drainage – A multi-facetted form of therapy

What is manual lymphatic drainage?

Manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) is a method of draining the tissue fluid (lympha) via the lymphatic vessels and gaps in the tissues back into the blood circulation.

The principle behind MLD rests on the use of particular „grasping" techniques of the hands (e.g rhythmic circular pumping movements of the flattened hands with a finally gradated level of pressure and following a sequence of movements which is specific to the particular clinical picture of the patient), this produces a sympathetic pumping mechanism in the lymph vessels to start. In this way MLD not only produces a reduction in the extent of oedema (oedema is an increased collection of tissue fluids in one place), but also an improvement in the patient's general level of well being.

What are the indications for MLD?

There are many, many occasions when MLD can be used and the indications for its use are many and varied, because it has an effect on many different physiological functions of the human body. Optimum results can be obtained using a combination of MLD, movement therapy and compression (e.g. using special compression stockings).

Susanne Kamjunke, Physiotherapist

MEDICUS Issue 1/2005