Manual Lymph Drainage (MLD) is an effective treatment before and after your surgery. Although your body has the ability and knowledge to heal itself, MLD can help decrease recovery time and promote healthy tissue prior to and after surgery.
MLD is not painful but can be combined with deeper techniques that may encourage softening of the tissues. Therapists will always work within a comfort level when applying these deeper techniques. Lymphatic drainage also helps with pain reduction. Your lymphatic system will move more fluid when in a parasympathetic state or “rest and digest”. Pain is stressful for the body and reducing it will encourage faster healing. MLD also improves scars by removing excess proteins from the tissues.
Some surgeries, such as liposuction, leave dense lumps in the tissue and require a more dynamic treatment to help soften those lumps without damaging the healing tissue or creating more inflammation.
Benefits of MLD before and after a surgery may help:
- reduce bruising
- reduce swelling
- reduce risk of infections and possible complications
- in recovering from medication and anesthesia
- heal faster and more efficiently
Types of surgeries
Some examples of surgeries that may benefit from this type of treatment, but are not limited to this list, are:
- plastic or reconstructive surgery
- orthopaedic
- cosmetic
- dental
- lymph node dissection
- knee, hip replacement
- vascular
- neurosurgery
- trauma
- ophthalmological
How our therapists can help
Our therapists may also utilize other techniques in combination with MLD such as lymphatic kinesio taping, myofascial release, wooding and foams to help you achieve your best results. Not all stages of healing require the same treatment. Our therapists can discuss where you are in healing and what treatment modalities are appropriate for that stage.
Compression and sometimes foam is provided by your surgeon when applicable and is used to reduce and contain swelling post op, help prevent seromas and irregularities in the tissue. It is recommended to wear your compression/foams to your appointment to discuss problems areas or to assess proper sizing and effectiveness.
MLD can be used safely and effectively on the same day as surgery; however, it may be more beneficial to recover at home initially. A home visit may be a possibility and can be arranged by contacting our clinic. For your first in-clinic treatment after surgery, we recommend a 60 minute session to allow for a proper assessment and review of your postoperative instructions from your surgeon.
Everyone’s needs, resources and expectations and results will be different. These will be discussed and a plan put in place to suggest the frequency and length of treatment that is best for you. Generally, people require more treatments in the initial stage of healing (approximately 2 – 4 days) and decrease in frequency as you progress. Book an appointment with our lymphatic therapists to help you build a recovery plan.
Paula Clark is a Registered Massage Therapist at FLOW Lymphatic Health Services.