10/02/2021
Safety first.
If you have drains, care for them and keep an eye out for unusual color, smell or if they cause a lot of pain.
If you don’t have drains and your incisions are leaking a bit, this is normal, don’t panic.
What is not normal is having Serosanguinous fluid pushed out of your incisions by a non medical professional. (Surgeons drain pockets of fluid with a needle).
Non professionals market this pushing of fluid as lymphatic drainage. It is not.
Abnormal drainage can be a sign of infection or additional trauma. These include sanguineous, hemorrhagic, purulent, or seroprulent drainage.
Did you know, lymph that leaks out of the skin is called lymphorrhoea?
So, does your post op therapist really know how to do manual lymphatic drainage or what exactly is lymphatic drainage? Or are they getting your attention with this unsanitary practice by pushing fluids out of incisions. It may be entertaining to watch, but this is definitely NOT manual lymphatic drainage.