Lymphatic Drainage
When clients have Lymphatic Drainage Massage, I often get asked, where does Lymph (which is the fluid that runs through the lymphatic system) actually ‘drain’ too?
Well, let’s start by letting you know what the lymph fluid actually contains and why it’s such an important body system.
Essentially the lymphatic system is like the sewer pipe for the body and runs hand in hand with the circulatory system. We all know the mess that can occur with blocked sewer pipes so this is a system you want to keep maintained!
The way the lymph fluid is developed is from the components of blood plasma (containing nutrients, gases and hormones) within the circulatory system. Fluid filters out of the blood capillaries into our tissue space within muscles. There is actually more fluid filtered out of the capillaries than what is actually returned to the circulatory system. This excess fluid needs to be picked up and cleared so our body can reuse and absorb it. It does this by the lymphatic system. Another important point to make here is that the protein molecules in blood plasma are actually too big to leave our blood capillaries but the small amount of protein that does leak out can actually be picked up by the lymphatic capillaries because their structure is bigger than that of a blood capillary. The returning of ‘lost’ plasma proteins to the bloodstream is just one of the important functions of the lymphatic system as they are the building blocks for your cells, tissues and organs.
Other important functions of the system are:
1. It transports dietary lipids and vitamins A, D, E and K that have been absorbed by your digestive system
2. Carries out immune response and
3. Drains excess interstitial fluid
In total, the excess fluid accounts for around 3 litres per day that the lymphatic system is reabsorbing for us.
To break it down more clearly, the fluid flow of the system and where it drains too follows the below process:
> First our blood plasma enters our tissue space giving our tissues nutrients to function
> Lymphatic capillaries pick up excess tissue fluid, toxins and products becoming lymph
> Lymph moves through your lymphatic vessels
> It is filtered and cleaned by your lymph nodes that are found all around your body (sites where most immune responses occur)
> Lymph then enters the thoracic duct which empties into major veins of our cardiovascular system where the bloodstream then removes waste products from the body through metabolic processes.
There are 2 major organs of the system; one is red bone marrow (found in flat bones of the adult body) and the other is the thymus which is located between your sternum and aorta. This is a pretty important part of the system as it is responsible for turning pre-T cells into mature T cells or AKA ‘Killer cells’. These killer cells are white blood cells that help your body fight infections, active and regulate your immune response.
If you have had a treatment with me before, you have probably noticed that at certain times I will get you to take a few deep abdominal breaths. This is not simply because I want to relax you after a heavy release, it’s because I am trying to encourage your lymphatic system to pump your lymph and encourage drainage. This is because the system doesn’t have a pump like the circulatory system and requires your muscles, through movement, and your respiratory system through breath, to pump things along.
If you have any questions relating to this system we are always here to help!
In health,
Carly
Myotherapist (Senior Remedial Massage Therapist)/ Owner