Lymph Drainage Therapy

Lymph Drainage Therapy, (LDT) a gentle technique that supports one of the body's most important systems, the lymphatic system. Our lymphatic system helps clean and regenerate our body's tissue, filters out metabolic waste and foreign substances and maintains a healthy immune system.

We specialize in LDT post surgically, for Reconstructive and Cosmetic Surgeries especially with Joint Replacement, Sinuses & Allergies, AutoImmune disorders, Chronic Lyme Disease, and for overall health and immune system support.

Lymph Drainage Therapy sessions are generally scheduled for one hour. Most clients receive LDT just like a massage, fully draped while relaxing on the massage table. LDT can also be received fully clothed. A very gentle touch is used, which stimulates the flow of lymph, opens pathways and optimizes cellular regeneration.

BENEFITS OF LYMPH DRAINAGE THERAPY

In essence, Lymph Drainage Therapy works to help re-circulate body fluids, clear stagnant areas between the cells, stimulate optimal function of the immune system and promote a state of relaxation and balance within the autonomic nervous system.

It has been shown that when these actions are accomplished the results can include:  

• Reduction in edema (swelling)
• Improved recovery from joint replacement surgeries
• Reduced pain and swelling during recovery from plastic surgeries such as tummy tucks, breast augmentation or reductions, facial surgeries, liposuction
• Relief from sinus infections
• Regeneration of tissues: from burns or scarring
• Valuable health support both pre- and post-surgery
• Anti-aging effects
• Relief of chronic inflammation and conditions such as acne, rosacea, eczema and allergies
• Immune system stimulation for preventive and therapeutic effects
• Reduction in the symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia
• Relief of chronic pain
• Deep relaxation aids relief from insomnia, depression, stress, loss of vitality and loss of memory
  

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LYMPH DRAINAGE THERAPY SPECIALIST

Amelia Mitchell, LMT, LLCC, BCTMB

Amelia is a Licensed Massage Therapist with Certification in Lymph Drainage Therapy, Manual Lymphatic Drainage, and Lymphedema.

Amelia provides deeply restorative and nurturing Lymphatic Drainage Therapy that heals and enhances health, reduces edema, aids in healing from surgeries, and supports those experiencing lymphedema, auto-immune disorders, or effects from cancer treatment.  While she no longer provides massage, Amelia continues to mentor and collaborate on all levels of client care at Alchemy.

One special focus area of Amelia's LDT practice is with clients experiencing auto-immune diseases, arthritis, and Lyme disease. While the process is not fully understood, clients report significant reduction in symptoms, pain, and treatment side effects.

"The cells of our body are immersed in a fluid environment where they receive their nutrients, grow, repair, and die.  The lymphatic system drains this interstitial area, transporting metabolic waste, foreign bodies, and germs out of the body.  In general, these are not toxins, they are simply what the body no longer needs, the kidneys and liver complete the processing, recycling resources when possible."

- AMELIA MITCHELL

APPLICATIONS FOR LYMPH DRAINAGE THERAPY

Joint Replacement  and Orthopedic Surgeries

After such an invasive surgery, the body has a great deal of work to do to heal the damaged tissue as well as integrate new foreign body part(s) into the system. Lymph Drainage Therapy increases the function of the immune system and can do it in a focused and specific way to directly address the challenges of a joint replacement. This helps the body reduce inflammation and speeds healing, which means it doesn't hurt as much and there is more freedom of movement in the joint. This gets the joint replacement patient moving more comfortably, sooner.
Often LDT is used in support of the requisite Physical Therapy and in combination with Therapeutic Massage, speeding results and helping the patient return to an active, pain-free life sooner and easier.

Lymphedema and Post Cancer Treatment

Owner Amelia is a Certified Lymphedema/MLD Therapist with the training to work with this challenging condition. We prefer that acute Lymphedema patients have a physical or occupational therapist as their primary therapist.

Acute Lymphedema care is often best handled within a hospital or clinic setting with multiple therapists as such patients often need almost daily care.

The Lymph Drainage Therapy we provide can be a valuable addition to a treatment plan developed by your Lymphadema specialist.
We can provide long-term support to patients who are at risk of Lymphadema, such as post-cancer surgeries, to help them avoid ever developing the disease or help minimize the issues that they might have. All patients do need to have an educational session with a specialist, something we are happy to provide, we want to be sure that they understand the important lifestyle modifications and warning signs and we will do our best to support the long term health of their body in collaboration with other therapists.

Oncology

LDT can be very helpful for those who are recovering from a surgery, as well as those who are going through chemotherapy, radiation and other aspects of Oncology care.

It is gentle and supportive of healing, reduces edema, and can support the healthy and natural functioning of the immune system.

Auto-Immune Disease

Integrating a natural, non-invasive approach to the treatment of Auto Immune Disorders can bring symptom relief, improved functioning, and a greater capacity to handle the stressors of living for a body that is challenged daily.

Whether we are talking about Fibromyalgia, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriatic Arthritis, or Graves, Sjogren's Syndrome, Scleroderma, Bechet’s Disease, Lupus, connective tissue disorder, or a combined, unspecified diagnosis, strategies to make it through the day, remain functional, and reduce pain are critical to both life and mental health. 

Lymph Drainage Therapy, along with massage and related hands-on therapies continue to be shown to be something that people can rely on for improvement of symptoms.

Chronic Lyme Disease
Fibromyalgia
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

We see relief from fatigue, pain, sleeplessness, depression, and an increase in vitality and activity with Lymph Drainage Therapy. Essentially, all the benefits seen above for Auto Immune Disease are seen as well.

Sinus & Allergies

When the sinuses are infected or suffering from allergies, the tissue within the sinuses can become extremely swollen and inflamed. LDT is very effective at reducing the inflammation and swelling within the sinuses, as well as improving the lymphatic flow in the entire head and neck region. This allows the sinuses to drain, the body to heal and the cycle of inflammatory response to subside.

In short, lymph drainage therapy is a soothing, gentle, non-invasive hands-on therapy that very effectively supports the health of your sinuses

Reconstructive & Cosmetic Surgeries

We have amazing medical procedures available to us these days, and there are many people who choose to have an elective procedure to change their body to an image they find more pleasing. These surgeries often involve large incisions, the removal of skin, adipose and connective tissue, as well as liposuction or reconstructive techniques. All of these actions can damage or destroy the lymphatic pathways in the effected area.

The good news is that the body is very resilient and will repair and rebuild quite well. The even better news is that Lymph Drainage Therapy can speed up the process by reducing the swelling, bruising and inflammation, which will reduce the pain and help the body shift to its new contours more quickly and gently.

LDT can begin within days of your surgery, or start at any time later, especially if there is an area that is healing slowly or particularly inflamed. (Please contact your doctor immediately if infection is a concern.)

Cosmetic surgery of the face is very fine and exacting work. LDT can be a great support here also, helping the body rebuild the lymphatic pathways, reducing swelling and bruising and speeding healing. A very gentle touch is used for all LDT, especially around the face and after any surgery.

Lymph Drainage helps the healing from these surgeries:

• Liposuction
• Tummy Tuck and Mommy Makeovers
• Breast Reductions and Top Surgeries
• Breast Augmentation
• Reconstructive surgeries after mastectomies
• Arm and thigh lifts
• Face and eye lifts and other facial surgeries

LYMPH DRAINAGE FOR RECOVERY FROM COSMETIC SURGERY  - VIDEO WITH AMELIA

One Note - Why We Don't Call This Massage
The work that we provide is properly referred to as
Lymph Drainage (yes, it rhymes with massage) Therapy.

We prefer not to call it Lymph Massage. This distinction is important, because for the medical situations and benefits described above, a qualified MLD/LDT therapist is required. While there are many massage therapists (as well as PTs, OTs and RNs) that have the advanced training in LDT such as Amelia here at Alchemy, and some of them do refer to their work as lymph massage, we would prefer to use more specific terms about the therapy that you will receive. There are also very short correspondence or weekend courses in "Lymph Massage" that do not qualify a therapist to do this level of work.

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