The lymphatic system is one of the essential parts of the human body’s immune system, as it plays a vital role in removing toxins and transporting proteins and fluids. This system may be exposed to some factors that lead to its weak function, which causes many health problems, such as fluid retention or increased inflammation. Many people neglect the importance of taking care of the health of the lymphatic system, so in this article, we will explore how to improve the lymphatic drainage system, some of the reasons that lead to its weakness and how to avoid them.
What causes poor lymph drainage?
Before you know how to improve the lymphatic drainage system, you must know the reasons that lead to poor drainage, the most important of which are:
Kidney diseases:
Kidney diseases lead to the kidneys’ inability to function properly, which leads to the accumulation of some toxins and excess fluids in the body.
Heart diseases:
Heart diseases greatly affect the lymphatic system, especially congestive heart failure, as the lymphatic vessels empty their contents back into the heart.
Lack of physical activity:
When the leg muscles move, they help pump the lymphatic circulation to the rest of the body, and when inactive, this affects the lymphatic circulation.
Obesity:
Fatty tissue in obese people affects the lymph nodes by putting pressure on them, which affects lymphatic drainage.
Radiotherapy:
Some types of cancer cause damage to the lymphatic system.
Surgery:
Some surgeries severely affect the lymph nodes, such as pelvic surgery and breast cancer surgery.
Parasites:
There are some parasites in some developing countries, especially in tropical areas, that greatly affect the lymphatic system and cause blockage of the lymph nodes.
Difference Between Blood and Lymphatic Circulation:
Understanding the difference between blood and lymphatic circulation is crucial because blood circulation involves a closed system of vessels powered by the heart, while lymphatic circulation relies on the movement of muscles and passive flow, making it more susceptible to disruptions.
What are the symptoms of poor lymphatic drainage?
Some symptoms appear when the lymphatic drainage is poor, so you must learn how to improve the lymphatic drainage system to get rid of them. The most important of these symptoms are:
- Feeling heaviness in the hands or feet.
- Total or partial swelling in the toes or hand.
- Increased incidence of sinusitis and colds.
- Feeling constantly tired and unable to concentrate.
- Appearance of some psychological symptoms such as depression.
- Feeling stiff, especially when waking up from sleep.
- Presence of enlarged lymph nodes.
- Frequent incidence of diseases due to weak immunity.
- Feeling hard in the skin.
Lymphatic drainage techniques
To know how to Keep Your Lymphatic System Healthy, we must know the drainage techniques that depend on stimulating the lymphatic vessels and lymph nodes to remove accumulated fluids and return them to blood circulation. This drainage is done through the following:
Manual lymphatic drainage
A massage is done by a specialist in the field of blood vessels so that he can target the correct area and activate the lymphatic system. Manual lymphatic drainage is done through gentle massage that leads to moving the skin and moving the fluid towards the lymph nodes. It helps activate the lymphatic system and increase its work more efficiently and is considered part of the treatment of congestion.
Intermittent air pressure technique
Intermittent air pressure technique is done by using a device consisting of inflatable cuffs and an air pump, where these cuffs are wrapped around the legs or arms and connected to the pump. When inflated, they lead to pressure on the extremities with varying degrees of intensity, which leads to the movement of accumulated fluids.
There are some other therapeutic methods to treat congestion, such as wearing some therapeutic clothing or performing some special exercises or pressure bandages. The doctor is the only one who can determine how to improve the lymphatic drainage system with one of these solutions.
4 Exercises to Improve Lymphatic Flow in the Central Lymphatics
When talking about how to improve the lymphatic drainage system, we must know that there are four basic exercises used to improve blood flow in the central lymphatic vessels, which are:
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Walking:
It is considered one of the most important exercises that help move fluids throughout the body, whether blood or lymphatic fluid. It would help if you walked at least half an hour daily.
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Diaphragmatic breathing:
It stimulates the movement of lymph fluid through the thoracic duct until it reaches the central lymphatic system. All you have to do is lie on your back, raise your legs, place your hand on your abdomen and press gently, then take a deep breath and repeat about five times.
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Stretching exercises:
This exercise is used to move fluids, activate muscles and move the spine. Place your hands and knees at the same level while slowly rotating your back, lowering your abdomen down and looking up.
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Shoulder rotation exercise:
Sit upright or stand with your shoulders moving forward and backwards. You can rotate your shoulder about 10 times.
FAQs
What is the best drink for lymphatic drainage?
The best drink that drains lymph is water, as you should drink a sufficient amount of pure hot water every quarter of an hour.
What vitamins help lymphatic drainage?
Many vitamins help drain the lymph such as vitamin E, vitamin C and vitamin B6, which are among the most important vitamins you need to know how to improve the lymphatic drainage system.
What can you do to improve your lymphatic system?
Place your hand on your collarbone and massage in semi-circular motions towards the axillary lymph nodes while massaging your chest and neck to the axillary area while massaging up and down the feet.
What is the fastest way to cleanse your lymphatic system?
Gently scrubbing the skin using a dry brush to stimulate fluid movement and drinking plenty of water, especially pure hot water, are the fastest ways to cleanse the lymphatic system.
The lymphatic system is one of the most important systems in the body that helps it drain toxins and fight infections. Therefore, it’s necessary to know how to improve the lymphatic drainage system to help it perform its function perfectly without any problems.
