HEALING HANDS BODYWORK OF BOSTON
  • Home
  • MY STORY
    • My Story
    • Temple Style Lomi Lomi
    • My Travel to You
  • Offerings
    • Bodywork Offerings
    • Sound Healing Offerings
  • Book
    • Online Booking Calendar
    • Request an Appointment
  • MORE...
    • Sound Healing & Gong Baths
    • Chest & Breast Massage >
      • Therapeutic Chest & Breast Massage
      • Benefits
      • FAQ's Chest & Breast Massage
      • Resources
      • Legality in the USA
      • Courses in Chest & Beast Massage for Therapists
      • A European Perspective
    • Manual Lymphatic Drainage >
      • Manual Lymphatic Drainage - MLD
      • Therapeutic Post Surgical MLD
      • Oncolgy & Lymphedema Care
      • FAQs for MLD
      • Request a Consultation
    • Certified Prenatal Massage
    • Discounts, Packages, Gifts,Policies >
      • Discount Packages
      • Refer a Friend
      • Policies & Insurance
      • Purchase A Gift Certificate
    • Contact Me
  • LEARN
    • For Massage Therapists
    • Massage Workshops for Couples >
      • Massage Workshops for Couples
      • Intimacy Through Touch Workshops
      • Turn Any Treatment or Workshop into a Mini Retreat
  • Testimonials
  • Blog

MLD for Post Surgical Recovery - How to heal faster from your tummy tuck, mommy makeover, BBL, breast reconstruction or Lipo procedure

11/9/2022

0 Comments

 
Picture
Within the past decades a whole new form of post-surgical healing has emerged – Post Surgical Manual Lymphatic Drainage.

While there are  therapists trained to perform MLD for Lymphedema, and other health and wellness purposes, they are not necessarily trained or believers in applying MLD to patients recovering from cosmetic or non elective procedures. .   Evidence of it's growing popularity is in the number of post op clients who call saying their surgeon "prescribed" MLD as part of their followup protocol.

The Lymphatic System 
The Lymphatic System is a complex pathway of specialized capillaries, trunks, and nodes which assist in returning fluids back into the circulatory system.  As a passive system, it has no central pump, like the heart, to move fluids. That task is left to the vein like structures to "pump" fluids,

The post-surgical case for MLD 
Inflammation. (and fibrosis).  It all really comes down to inflammation.  Surgery is trauma. And trauma triggers a trauma response.  Part of that response is swelling. Swelling is a normal part of healing, but it can be uncomfortable and chronic swelling can lead to other issues. Manual Lymphatic Drainage helps the lymphatic drainage system function at a peak level to draw fluids away from a swollen area.  Stimulation of the lymphatic system increases the rate at which the body removes waste, dead cell particles, and inflammatory agents from our tissue.s   Accelerating the lymphatic flow has been demonstrated to reduce swelling and bruising in the injured region. Studies indicate that as the volume of fluid at the injury site is reduced, rehabilitation time may be shortened.  Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD) can play an important role in post-surgery recovery to reduce inflammation but also by playing a role in the reduction of pain, stiffness and bruising,

You may receive Post-Surgical MLD treatments within 3 days after surgery.
Doctors who know of Post Surgical MLD will sometimes suggest treatment as soon as 3-days after surgery.  This early intervention assists with helping to minimize bruising and swelling.  However, some doctors suggest or even mandate patients wait from 2-6 weeks after surgery before receiving treatment.  With a Doctor's permission, I will work on clients generally beginning 3 days to a week after surgery.  No work will be done on or near an incision this early  - only after it has healed.  Generally after 2-3 weeks all work is safe unless there are complications with your surgery.

Your MLD Therapist should have wound care or medical training if you have issues with your surgical site.
One current trend we are seeing is that patients are flying out of state or out of the country for cosmetic procedures that are more affordable.  Often the client returns home with a paper of "instructions" and there is no real medical followup.  MLD itself can only do so much, and some Doctors are simply passing the patient responsibility forward.  If you are experiencing any issues such as abnormal oozing, sharp pain. redness that is abnormal or other signs of infection, please seek competent local medical care or see your doctor if local.  MLD therapists only do what they do which is limited. 

Pushing fluids and tissues out from unhealed incisions is NOT MLD
There is a "understanding" in various places in the United States and abroad that the way to get lymphatic fluid out of your body is to reopen the incisions and push fluid out manually.   First, this process is outside the scope of practice (100% illegal) for any massage therapist or MLD therapist in any of the 50 United States. Unless the person performing this process is a nurse or similarly licensed healthcare worker in a clinic with biohazard bags, gloves, face shield, gowns, etc., they should not be doing this. If you are a surgery patient and someone wants you to do this, or to do this to you, run.

YouTube videos are NOT an alternative to hands-on MLD - But I can show you Self Care MLD strokes you can do at home
When time and budget allow, MLD is best performed by a trained therapist, however not everyone has the time or budget for a series of visits.  One challenge with online videos is that you never know what you are getting. I see massage videos all the time that contradict the actual work. Further it is easy to "mimic, " maybe, but if you don't know the "why" behind what you are doing, or know if you are doing it right, you may be doing things contrary or ineffective to the healing process.  If you want to do MLD self care at a minimum, book a treatment with some extra time and go home with a self care routine that you know will be effective.

MLD does NOT use brushes, tools, cupping, bamboo sticks, rollers, or creams.
MLD uses only the hands and is performed without oils, lotions or creams. It involves movement of the skin in particular directions, and gentle pressure toward the body. Any other technique, tool, cream, or even cupping, is not part of the Post Surgical MLD process and should be avoided. If you have a therapist who is insistent on using creams, tool, cups or rollers, just say “No!” and tell them to use hands only. If they refuse, simply end the session and leave.  There are instances where cups and tools can be used during the healing process, but it is not for lymphatic drainage.

You Deserve a Better Healing
In all cases, a post-surgical lymphatic drainage session should be gentle and complete,  Post surgical MLD is an excellent way to help promote the healing process and is appropriate for almost any surgery or procedure.

I treat clients in my Needham, MA office who have had procedures such as lipo-360, mommy makeover, breast reduction or augmentation, Brazilian butt lifts, abdominoplasty (tummy tucks), cool sculpting, brachioplasty, facelifts, hip replacements, shoulder surgeries, lumpectomies, mastectomies and reconstruction, gender affirmation surgeries. . If your situation involves Lymphedema, active cancer or is in general more complex, my colleague, Virginia Murphy,  is available to handle almost special care cases from her nearby Hanover studio,  She has hundreds of hours of training in oncology massage, lymphatic systems and manual lymphatic drainage. We would like to be your healing partner.  Together, we see clients on Martha's Vineyard as well, me year round, Virginia  from spring to fall.

0 Comments

    RSS Feed

    A Really Good Massage Blog

    About Me

    I write about things that I myself need to be mindful of.  ways in which I would like to improve.  It is not from the perspective of preaching - but rather writing helps me work out what I myself need to do - we are all in this together.

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    November 2022
    October 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    September 2021
    August 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    November 2020
    April 2020
    July 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014

    Categories

    All
    Abdominal Massage
    Aloha
    Anti-inflammatories
    Antioxidant
    Awareness Week
    Ayurveda
    Ayurvedic Medicine
    Back Bay
    Belly
    Benefits
    Best MAssage
    Better Sleep
    Body Mechanics
    Bodywork
    Boston
    Breast
    Breast Cancer
    Breast Massage
    Buddha
    Buddhist
    Burnout
    Cancer
    Cancer Massage
    Cannabis
    CBD
    CEU
    CEUs
    Chant
    Chest Massage
    Chi
    Chi Nei Tsang
    Christmas
    Classes
    Continuing Education
    Coronavirus
    Couples Workshops
    Courses
    Covid
    Deals
    Deep Pressure
    Deep Tissue
    Definition
    Discount
    Discounts
    Emotional Healing
    Esalen
    Euphoria
    Fertility Massage
    Flying
    Friendship
    Full-body
    Full Body Massage
    Getting Pregnant
    Gift
    Gift Certificate
    Gluteal
    Glutes
    Gratitude
    Grief
    Habits
    Hands
    Happiness
    Hawaii
    Hawaiian
    Healing
    Health
    Herbs
    High
    Holding Hands
    Holiday
    Hospice
    Human
    Infertility
    Ke Ala Hoku
    Ki
    Labor
    Laughter
    Learn Lomi
    Letting Go
    Life
    Lomi
    Lomilomi
    Lomi Lomi
    Lomi Lomi Training
    Lomi Massage
    Loss
    Mailing List
    Mana
    Manual Lymphatic Drainage
    Marijuana Massage
    Marthas Vineyard
    Massage
    Massage CEU
    Massage Class
    Massage Deals
    Massage Discount
    Massage Training
    Mastectomy
    Meditation
    Membership
    Mindfulness
    MLD
    Mothermassage
    Movement
    Music
    Myths
    Oahu
    October
    Oil
    Oncology
    Oncology Massage
    Pain
    Pain Relief
    Pandemic
    Parable
    Pecs
    Platonic
    Post Massage High
    Postpartum Massage
    Post Surgical
    Pregnancy
    Pregnancy Massage
    Pregnant
    Prenatal
    Relaxation
    Resolution
    Retreat
    Romantic
    Self-care
    Singing Bowls
    Sleep
    Sound Therapy
    Stress
    Stress Management
    Student Discount
    Testimonial
    Thai
    Thank You
    Thank You Note
    THC
    Tips
    Touch
    Tranquility
    Trauma
    Travel
    Tucking
    Tummy Tuck
    Val
    Valentines
    Valentines Day
    Wellness
    What To Expect
    Workshop
    Workshops
    Yoga
    Zen

    RSS Feed

  AWARD WINNING
   Looking for the best massage In BOSTON ?
   Voted "Best of BOSTON"  Massage BY Thumbtack
   Users  2 years in a row
.

Best Massage in Boston

 What Our Clients Are Saying

If you had a positive experience and you think others would benefit from your words, please feel free to send us your testimonial at
aloha@healinghandsbodywork.com   

Mahalo

BOOK NOW !

Subscribe Today!

* indicates required

View previous campaigns.

  • Home
  • MY STORY
    • My Story
    • Temple Style Lomi Lomi
    • My Travel to You
  • Offerings
    • Bodywork Offerings
    • Sound Healing Offerings
  • Book
    • Online Booking Calendar
    • Request an Appointment
  • MORE...
    • Sound Healing & Gong Baths
    • Chest & Breast Massage >
      • Therapeutic Chest & Breast Massage
      • Benefits
      • FAQ's Chest & Breast Massage
      • Resources
      • Legality in the USA
      • Courses in Chest & Beast Massage for Therapists
      • A European Perspective
    • Manual Lymphatic Drainage >
      • Manual Lymphatic Drainage - MLD
      • Therapeutic Post Surgical MLD
      • Oncolgy & Lymphedema Care
      • FAQs for MLD
      • Request a Consultation
    • Certified Prenatal Massage
    • Discounts, Packages, Gifts,Policies >
      • Discount Packages
      • Refer a Friend
      • Policies & Insurance
      • Purchase A Gift Certificate
    • Contact Me
  • LEARN
    • For Massage Therapists
    • Massage Workshops for Couples >
      • Massage Workshops for Couples
      • Intimacy Through Touch Workshops
      • Turn Any Treatment or Workshop into a Mini Retreat
  • Testimonials
  • Blog