Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD)
Manual lymphatic drainage, or MLD for short, is a specialised form of massage therapy that can be used by a trained practitioner to encourage the natural process of lymphatic vessels eliminating waste products. In turn this gives your body’s defenses a natural boost. At this time of year with winter setting in and with it an influx of all those wintery aches, pains, coughs, colds and general niggles flying around, most of us could do with a bit of a boost to our immune system.
What exactly is Manual Lymphatic Drainage?
MLD is an advanced form of massage therapy that encourages the process that naturally occurs in the body where the lymphatic vessels eliminate waste products. By eliminating the waste products the body’s natural defences are given a boost and can fight off illnesses more effectively.
There are various techniques used during MLD, with your qualified practitioner choosing the most appropriate for your reason for wanting MLD. The massage techniques used in MLD generally stimulate the lymph nodes where the body fights any infections or inflammations. If the lymph nodes are functioning well then the body will find it easier to fight off infections, however, if they are not functioning to the best of their ability then a person may find that they suffer from illnesses and do not fight them off as effectively.
Why should you have MLD during winter?
MLD is beneficial at any time of the year as having a healthy immune system is always going to be a good thing. However, you may have noticed that during the winter months there are many more ailments and illnesses to fight off. People tend to find these illnesses harder to fight during winter due to the fact that more illnesses are trying to attack the body and during the winter people’s immune systems are generally lowered, leaving the body at risk of succumbing to these attacks.
Whilst it may be tempting to spend the winter months tucked up in bed it is usually not practical to do so and never much fun to be ill. Having MLD regularly throughout the year will ensure that your immune system is in full working order by the time the winter sets in. If you have not been having MLD then it’s certainly not too late. With such an effective treatment you can have MLD now and enjoy the benefits of a boost to your immune system.
Does MLD have any other benefits?
As well as being of huge benefit to the immune system and people’s health in general, MLD has also been proven to assist in weight loss and detoxification regimes, as well as various other health benefits including:
- promoting healing of fractures, torn ligaments and sprains
- relieve fluid congestion experienced as swollen ankles or puffy eyes
- promotes the healing of wounds and burns
- improves the appearance of scars and stretch marks
- can improve chronic health conditions such as skin conditions, rheumatoid arthritis and sinusitis