Yesterday I went for a lymphatic massage, which is something I used to do fairly regularly but, for whatever reason, I have been neglecting. For those who may not know, the lymphatic system is responsible for your body’s ability to detox. It helps to drain excess fluids out of the body, filter out toxins, regenerates tissues, and helps fight infections.
Because of my POTS , I already have an issue with blood flow. But it is the muscle pain in my legs that has been the driving force in my exploring lymph massages. The first time I went for one, I remember – I was pretty excited because massages are just about my favorite thing in the whole world and I had heard about all the positive effects that can result from a lymphatic massage.
I don’t want to say I was disappointed, but it was definitely different than I was expecting. Instead of the firm, slow pressure and manipulation from a traditional massage, I was met with incredibly light, short strokes in different directions on my skin, which hardly felt like anything at all. Massages are expensive and I felt a little “short changed” by the end of my first session, until a few hours later when the pain that was in my muscles lessened tremendously.
When I went back, I spoke to my masseuse about what had happened to me. She was not surprised and explained a little more in depth about what a lymph massage actually does and why it’s beneficial to not only those with any sort of swelling or pain, but anyone who is looking to detox or boost in their immune system.
The lymph lies right under our skin and is closely tied to blood flow. Because of illness, injury, stress etc. the flow can become more stagnant and our bodies become congested when everything is not flowing and cleaning out regularly.
Even though I try to follow a pretty healthy diet, I know I’m giving my body a lot of foreign substances in the way of prescription pills. I like to incorporate lymphatic massages semi regularly in my routine to help make sure everything keeps circulating and detoxing efficiently.
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