You many have heard of Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD)
before and wondered what it is and if it might be an
appropriate treatment for you. MLD is a modality used for
many different reasons. From relaxation to very specific
acute problems, MLD can be a treatment on its own or it
can be integrated into any massage session.
MLD is a very light massage technique which moves the skin over
the underlying tissues using slow and rhythmical movements.
The purpose of MLD is to increase the amount of movement of the lymphatic fluid in the lymphatic system.
While there are many methods of MLD, the Dr. Vodder method is the original. This method was developed by Danish massage therapists, Dr. Emil Vodder and his wife Estrid Vodder while they were living in France in the 1930’s. Dr. Vodder developed this technique as a way of treating clients with chronic colds. Dr. Vodder published his method and findings many years later and conceived the term “Manual Lymphatic Drainage.” He and his wife began to teach this method to others and in 1972 the Dr. Vodder School in Walchsee Austria was founded and later the Dr. Vodder School of North America in Victoria British Columbia in 1979. This now world renown technique taught at the Dr. Vodder Schools continues to be the original, unaltered version that Dr. Vodder himself developed.
The lymphatic system consists of tiny vessels (similar to those of the circulatory/blood system) and nodes that are found throughout most of the body. It is primarily responsible for the body’s immune function by constantly cleaning and moving lymphatic fluid through the body.
The benefits of experiencing MLD are that it can relieve stress, alleviate muscle pain, help the body to heal faster from injury or surgery, enhance the body’s immune function, and it aids in detoxification.
MLD would be an excellent treatment for you if you are looking for general body relaxation or if you have tired and aching muscles. It is also excellent after sports activities and exercise, minor surgeries, or if you want to detoxify the body.
