What Is the Actual Reason for Getting Lymphatic Drainage

Time and time again I find myself having the same conversation with clients about lymphatic drainage. Unfortunately, I am having this conversation with them after they have already booked their session and now, they are in my office just a few minutes before we are set to begin. Most people don't really think past that one single session. They don't stop and consider the fact that a single session of lymphatic drainage cannot possibly "fix" anything.

I always like to compare lymphatic drainage to going for a facial because people usually understand it better. I always tell people "You wouldn't show up for a facial with a face full of acne, discoloration, wrinkles, or dry patches and expect that this one facial is going to fix your problem, would you? Well, a single session of lymphatic drainage can't fix anything in one session either." This is why it is important for you to know why it is that you're actually coming in. Ask yourself what it is that you're looking to get out of lymphatic drainage. Once you know what your goal is, it's much easier to figure out what the plan to get you there will look like.

Let's start off with what your lymphatic system is and what it does.

To put it simply- your lymphatic system is a complex network that runs throughout your entire body and includes not only your lymph vessels and nodes, but also bone marrow, and your spleen, thymus, tonsils, adenoids, and the lymph tissue in your small intestine and other parts of your body. It is responsible for filtering waste and toxins from the body. The lymph vessels that run throughout your body collect fluid (this fluid contains waste products, bacteria, and other debris) from tissues and spaces between cells, and then, by way of muscle contractions, that fluid gets pushed to the lymph nodes where it is cleansed before returning to the bloodstream.

When your lymphatic system becomes congested, and the flow of fluid is slowed or stopped, it can lead to swelling, fatigue, or other health issues. What are some causes that could disrupt your lymphatic system? To start there are things like: cancer surgery, radiation therapy, infections like filariasis and cellulitis, physical trauma, obesity, and certain medical conditions like venous disease, heart conditions, and kidney disease could lead to lymphedema. There are also things like: genetic factors, lack of activity, and dehydration that can contribute to issues within the lymphatic system.

So, what are the benefits of lymphatic drainage? There are a wide range of benefits that range from boosting your immune system, enhancing your metabolism, reducing the frequency of migraines, helping with sinus issues, to reducing edema (swelling). Additionally, because your lymphatic system is where your white blood cells are created - there are also great benefits to your immune system as well. Let's do a quick breakdown of a couple of these...

Are you looking for a natural treatment to help detox? Lymphatic drainage is great for this. A sluggish lymphatic system can slow down your metabolism, which in turn can cause brain fog, chronic sluggishness, and even in some cases hormonal imbalances. Because lymphatic drainage helps to clear blockages and allow the free flow of fluid, your system will work much more efficiently and begin to help you feel more energetic, help regulate and improve digestion and can even help your ability to manage your weight better.

Edema (swelling) is probably one of the more common and noticeable signs of a sluggish or compromised lymphatic system. Lymphatic drainage can help with this because the main goal of lymphatic massage is to help encourage fluid inside the vessels to move, therefore making room for any fluid that has gotten stuck outside the vessels to come in, get cleaned, and returned back into the circulatory system. This is one of the things that makes it an excellent treatment for athletes or individuals recovering from injuries. It can help reduce muscle fatigue, quicken recovery time, and also prevent overtraining.

So how often will you need to come in? I always have clients fill out their intake forms online prior to coming in for their session, but I still always ask them "So what made you schedule a lymphatic drainage session?" to which the response is usually something like "I don't know. I've just been feeling tired and I read online that this could help." And while yes, lymphatic drainage can be great for helping when you feel sluggish, one session - especially when you've never had lymphatic drainage before - probably won't have you feeling "back to normal" in 60-minutes. Think about it - how many times a week do you have to go to physical therapy? How many times a week do you go to the chiropractor? How many times a week do you go to the gym? How many times a week do you eat healthy? How many times do you go for a facial before you start seeing results? Probably more than one, correct? Yet, many people still come in for a single session of lymphatic drainage with me and expect miracles.

Let's talk a little more about why you need multiple sessions.

Why do you need to do more than one session of lymphatic drainage to truly get the benefits of it? It requires time to address congestion and improve circulation of fluid throughout this system. Your initial sessions are a crucial aspect for establishing a solid foundation of improved lymphatic flow. You should plan on doing 3-5 sessions over 2 or 4 weeks to begin. In these initial sessions I will focus on establishing this foundation and work on getting a free flow of lymphatic fluid by clearing blockages. The subsequent sessions you do after this will be for maintenance and so that you can prevent future congestion and blockages. One session is simply just not enough to get things really moving and running properly.

So, you've come in for your initial series of sessions - now what?

Knowing the right frequency to get your lymphatic drainage sessions is extremely important and will usually depend on your lifestyle, health concerns, and what your goals are. Your frequency of sessions will also change depending on what you have going on at a specific time. Most people fit in one of the following 3 categories:

Option 1	Option 2	Option 3
MAINTENANCE	RECOVERY AND MANAGEMENT OF CONDITIONS	BODY TONING AND ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE
Coming in for a monthly 60-minute session can support overall general wellness and immune system function.	The frequency of these sessions will be customized based on your individual recovery needs and specific health conditions.	You should be coming in weekly or multiple times a week to enhance your exercise capacity, reduce your recovery times, and support muscle tone.

No matter what your reason for coming in for lymphatic drainage, a single session will not even begin to scratch the surface of this complex and deep running vast and intricate system of vessels, nodes, and organs. So, if you are truly interested in seeing how this underrated and awesome service can be of benefit to you, the first thing you need to do is - give it time. Book your first 3 sessions once ever 4-6 days for two or three weeks and see how you feel. Maybe you need one or two more sessions after that. Then it's up to you if you want to continue with weekly sessions or if you would rather space them out a little further depending on what your goals are. Usually the more frequent the better, but if you can't do that, you figure out a schedule that works best for you. Whatever you do, please do not expect to come in for one session and think you really get to see all the great benefits regular sessions of lymphatic drainage has to offer.

If you have questions, please feel free to reach out and ask before booking your appointment.