Independence Through Physical Therapy 1 - Lymph Drainage

Manual Lymph Drainage

Chest/Arm Swelling

Every time you use the bathroom, use soap in the shower, dry off with towel, or lotion the skin-do so in this pattern. Use only enough pressure to wrinkle the skin. Avoid any implants such as a Port-stay 1 hand breadth away. Perform often enough to keep any symptoms such as discomfort or burning controlled. Use this full protocol at least 1 time in the morning and the abbreviated version 3 more times.
*DO NOT* perform this massage if you have any of the following: Infection that requires antibiotics Seek medical attention immediately if you develop localized redness, warmth, swelling, and pain associated with fever, headache, or chills - may be indicative of bacterial infection requiring antibiotics. Difficulty breathing Blood clot Pneumonia Cold or flu If you are sick in any way, surviving the acute medical situation becomes far more important than managing the swelling. When the acute episode is resolved and your doctor feels it is safe to resume this massage just watch for any signs of problems.	The order of this self massage is very critical: Imagine a traffic jam at the top of a water slide. You will not be able to move forward until the blocking offense (a kid too scared to go down the slide) moves and the steps clear to accept more people waiting to get their turn on the waterslide. Once those waiting at the front are able to move through, the line will continue emptying from the front until finally the path in front of you opens up and you are allowed to move forward. If you keep pushing it will not help. However, once the scared person either gets on the slide or goes back down the stairs the next in line will go down the slide and eventually everyone will make it through. In the body, the fluid behind the collar bone in the neck has to move into the heart, and then the belly clears, then the trunk and finally the limbs. If you do the massage in the order listed you should pay attention and see if any symptoms improve along the way after doing 10 of each of the steps listed in the order they are listed.
1-2. NECK exercises to stimulate the end point of lymphatic system behind the collar bone where it rejoins the veins to dump into the heart 10 times each: YES: Bring chin toward chest NO: Turn chin toward each shoulders MAYBE: Shoulder circles backward I Don’t KNOW: Tilt ear toward shoulder
3. DEEP BREATHING: Now that the fluid from the neck is moving into the heart the fluid from the stomach can move up into the tubes in the neck and get in line to dive into the heart. This is done with stomach exercises combined with deep breathing. Inhale deeply through your nose allowing the air to penetrate all the way to your toes. Your belly should expand like a balloon being blown up with air. Exhale through your mouth forcing all the air out. Push the extra air out using your belly muscles to pull in tight squeezing in as if pushing on a bellows. If you become lightheaded, breathe normally for a few breaths. If needed, deep breathe separately from the stomach squeezes-pulling belly button in toward spine. Repeat 10 X
4. Since the both armpits are not working well enough to allow fluid to drain back to the heart an alternative route will have to be created. This can be done by clearing the fluid out of the front of the hip encouraging it to move up into the belly. Imagine too many kids wanting to get onto the water slide--this would be similar to going to another city close by and getting that water park open and ready to bus more kids in. Standing up put your hand at the front of your both groin (as if hand were in a pocket) pull skin away from groin stretching the skin of the groin up and out to side. Repeat 10 X.
5. Now that the fluid in the groin nodes has been cleared out the nodes are ready for more fluid to dive into them and then get sucked in. Then the fluid can continue along the waterslide through the belly and up to the neck eventually. Help the fluid find its way to the left groin by starting with your hand in the left armpit and pull gently stretching the skin all the way down to the left groin. This can be done in standing or sitting. Repeat 10X covering the front side and again 10X as far around the side as far back you can reach.
6. Finally the fluid in the arm has a chance to get its turn to get on the waterslide and jump into the heart now that all the fluid in the body is moving out of the way. Start at the elbow stretching the skin of the arm all the way up to the collar bone on all sides of the upper arm. Repeat on each side of the upper arm 10 times.
7. Hold firmly onto the skin at the front of the elbow crease-with your middle finger lining up on the crease. Gently pull this skin up toward the armpit-but do not let go of the skin and slide. Release the pressure and it will pull your hand back to your starting position. Repeat this 10 times.
8. Start at the back of the hand and stretch the skin on the back of the forearm all the way up to the elbow-repeat 10 times. Repeat this 10 times on the underside of the arm from the palm to the elbow. If the skin on the hand is puffy-stretch the skin of each finger following the bone up the finger through the hand 10 times each finger.
13. For any areas that are thickened or hard-gently roll a tennis ball around this area until it softens 30 seconds to 3 minutes in each area. Ideally the more often you do the massage the less you will need the tennis ball.

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