Vodder Technique of Manual Lymph Drainage

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Last Updated on Saturday, 18 January 2014 03:26

Louis Pasteur, the 19thC French chemist and microbiologist worked for his whole life to understand disease and studied germs (including bacteria and parasites) with the desire to stop their spread. On his death bed: he said "The germ is nothing - the milieu (the environment within) is everything." From this it is clear that Pasteur saw that the intrinsic health of a person was a more important factor in health than external challenges the body is exposed to.

Manual Lymph Drainage (Vodder Technique) supports the intrinsic health of an individual. The environment within the body is primarly a liquid one. Through stimulating the movement of lymph and pre-lymph fluid, each cell through the whole body benefits as the delivery of nutrients to, and removal of waste from, the cells is optimised. Manual Lymph Drainage can be experienced as a therapeutic support, or as a general alround support for our wellbeing. Either way, it is a pleasant and deeply relaxing experience. Some people choose regular ongoing appointments to support optimum health, others find relief in times of acute discomfort.

I practice the original Vodder method of Manual Lymph Drainage. This is not only highly effective, but also gentle and deeply relaxing. Most importantly it is based on a thorough knowledge, understanding and respect for the anatomy and functioning of the lymphatic system.

Some of the physical benefits of Vodder Manual Lymph Drainage include support for any condition where there is fluid accumulation e.g. oedema, pregnancy, cellulite, pre and post-surgery (including cosmetic surgery scars and bruising) bruising, sprains and sinusitis. The pain of migraines and neuralgia has also frequently found swift relief. 

Because the movements of Vodder Lymph Drainage are slow, gentle and rhythmic, a lot of people find the sessions very relaxing, even falling asleep within minutes of the session commencing. When a body is very stressed and holding a lot of tension, this gentle technique works to loosen the tightness in the body by reminding the body of its own inherent rhythm.

The Vodder Technique of Lymph Drainage utilises gentle rhythmic movements to encourage movement of the insterstitial fluid and lymph through the lymphatic system. "One cannot push a river"  - you can however create waves, which create currents, which direct the flow. As most lymph vessels are superficial there is no need to work deeply (except in the abdominal area where lymph vessels are situated deep in the belly). Using strong pressure over the lymph vessels will in general only squash them and thereby hinder the flow of lymph instead of supporting it.

The particular movements, rhythms and priorities of Vodder method of Manual Lymph Drainage arose from the original research into the Lymphatic System conducted by Mr Emil Vodder, a biologist, and his wife, Dr Estrid Vodder, a naturopath. Through their lifetime they studied the significance of the lymphatic system in the health of the individual and developed optimum techniques to support it.

Most clients find Manual Lymph Drainage deeply relaxing and it is not uncommom for clients to fall asleep within minutes of commencing the session. Working on the Vagus Nerve swiftly brings the body to the Parasympathetic Nervous System, a state of deep rest and repair for the body. This state of resting in the Parasympathetic Nervous System is essential for the optimum functioning of the Lymphatic System. (The actions of the parasympathetic nervous system can be summarised as "rest and digest" as opposed to the "fight-or-flight" effects of the sympathetic nervous system). 

All substances transported in the blood must pass through the connective tissue to reach the cells and all waste products must also pass through the connective tissue, in order to be removed by the blood. As these substances can only be transported in a liquid milieu, a healthy lymphatic system is vital for our health.

Unlike the blood circulation system, which has a closed circulation and utilises the heart as a pump, the lymphatic circulation begins blind in the tissues with its capillaries. Lymph vessels (lymph angions strung together) lead to lymph nodes, collector lymph nodes, interposed before the large main lymph vessels, join with the venous system in the right or left venous arches (Angelus Venosusor, as Dr Vodder called them, the Terminus) which are the most important of the "Watersheds" in the human body. The practitioner, knowing the position of lymph vessels, the large collector lymph nodes and the anastomoses between individual lymph drainage areas, will, in practising Manual Lymph Drainage, orientate the order of the movement to the course of these watersheds.

A Manual Lymph Drainage appointment lasts 1hour 15 minutes. The primary focus in first treatment is on the upper body - the neck, throat and face - as this is where the bulk of the bodies lymph nodes are situated and most importantly this is where the entire lymphatic system drains too. There is no gain in moving the lymph from the limbs until it is unable to move freely through the major lymph "Terminus". Ensuring the lymph "terminus" is clear, and is also a safety consideration so that drainage from the head is never compromised. Once these major watersheds have been cleared, the focus can broaden to incorporate the specific area of discomfort.

If a client has a migraine in progress then the session will commonly start with client seated. It is not uncommon for the migraine to cease during the session.