A different type of massage
It’s a mouthful—manual lymphatic drainage massage—and its purpose is a bit complex, too. Manual lymphatic drainage is a type of massage that uses light pressure to move fluid through your body and back into your bloodstream.
It’s done by a qualified specialist and can target certain health concerns or be used as a general wellness treatment, says Jeanette Zucker, a physical therapist at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, who specializes in lymphedema therapy.
Here’s everything you need to know about a lymphatic drainage massage.
Understanding the lymphatic system
Most people have heard of lymph nodes but you might not realize just how widespread the lymphatic system is throughout the body. The lymphatic system includes a network of vessels that move lymph—a clear or whitish fluid—from the body’s tissues back to the bloodstream. Among other things, lymph carries white blood cells, nutrients from digestion (like fats and proteins), and cellular waste.
As it moves through the lymphatic system, lymph is filtered by the lymph nodes. The lymphatic system, which also includes the spleen, thymus, and bone marrow, is part of your immune system and helps fight infections as well as rid
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