14/09/2015
Water retention (oedema) occurs when the body is unable to remove the fluid collecting under the skin.
Excess fluid is normally drained by the body's lymphatic system, a network of vessels that absorbs fluid, toxins, waste products, fats, proteins electrolytes, hormones and more from the tissue below the surface of the skin. All these substances are passed through the lymph nodes, where the fluid is filtered, purified and concentrated before being returned to the blood.
Lymphatic flow can stagnate for many reasons, including inflammation, lack of physical activity, stress, fatigue, emotional shock and age. When lymphatic circulation slows down, the regeneration of cells becomes less effective. This allows toxins and proteins to accumulate around the cells, causing cellular oxygenation to decrease and tissue regeneration to diminish. Excess fluid can be retained in the cells, causing swelling, stiffness and discomfort.
Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD) stimulates the natural peristaltic contractions of the lymphatic pathways. Stagnating fluid, toxins and wastes are then drained through the flow of lymph reducing the oedema. As a result of increased flow through the lymphatic nodes, more lymphocytes are produced to reinforce the immune response, and these are carried back to the blood to be dispersed throughout the body.
A course of MLD treatments can keep chronic fluid retention down, relieving the feeling of heaviness and tight skin, reducing the size of the affected area and easing discomfort.
I have a growing list of regular clients here in Gibraltar who come to see me at Room 31 once a month for a half-hour session of MLD and have found a dramatic improvement in symptoms! If you think this may be something you can benefit from please contact me via message and arrange a consultation (no charge).