25/05/2026
Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD)
What Can It Be Used For?
A surprising number of conditions respond to lymphatic drainage. If a medical condition is involved, you should consult your practitioner first:
Swollen ankles and legs after air travel
Tight sore breasts – PMT or fibrocystic disease
Headache
Medical conditions – after removal of lymph nodes
Following cosmetic surgery – liposuction, scar tissue
What is The Lymphatic System?
The extraordinary workings of the lymphatic system make blood circulation look simple by comparison. Made up of fine vessels and lymph nodes, this little-known circulation is an important part of the immune system. It quietly goes about its business, filtering out waste and debris, and carrying nutrients to cells.
The lymph nodes do the collection and filtering of waste material from cell fluid, while the lymph vessels return the fluid back to the general circulation. It clears the entire body, stopping excess fluid from lying around in the tissues. It always heads towards the neck.
Unlike the heart, lymph doesn’t have a pump to push it round the body. It relies mainly on our muscular action and body movement to keep the fluid moving. As well, it needs all areas of the body to be in good condition; that means adequate fluid intake, excellent nutrition and high level well-being.
What Goes Wrong
When the lymphatic system doesn’t work efficiently, the tell-tale signs of oedema or tight swollen tissue appear. A common instance is seen after a long-distance air travel: ankles and legs become tight and puffy. It’s due to lack of movement, pressure on lymph vessels from sitting, and the hanging position of the legs. Medical conditions can also be the cause of oedema.
What is Manual Lymphatic Drainage?
When you intervene and encourage the fluid to drain properly, it’s known as lymphatic drainage. You can jazz up your whole system with a treatment, whether or not you have fluid retention. It can be a stand-alone procedure, or it can be incorporated into a massage treatment. You can even do it yourself.
All treatments are not the same; it depends on the condition being treated, but the aim is always to get the fluid moving out of the tissue into the lymph nodes.
Stacy Faulkner MLD Practitioner
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