6-20 Lymphedema, Obesity, Infectobesity and Integrative Manual Therapy Approaches

Lymph Drainage Massage Depending on its genesis, edema must be treated by medication or diet. Simultaneous application of lymph drainage may be beneficial in some cases, especially in combined edema. Manual lymph drainage is a special method of massage.” (Reiss, 2003). In some kinds of edema, in particular lymphedema, only therapeutic lymph drainage introduced into medicine by Vodder, Asdonk, Kuhnke, Chickley, and Weiselfish-Giammatteo, can attain an improvement, since there is no drug which acts on the lymphatic system. ........Buy This Issue Today

Back Issues Available for $6 each or
Any 6 issues for $25

Subscriptions Available Today
for $100 per year (24 Information Packed Issues)

Go To The Shopping Cart Now

Look For These Back Issues

6-18: Iontophoresis Patches, Homeopathic Delivery System, The Burnham Review Sep 2006

6-19: Corpus Callosum, Can Cranial Therapy Help Agenesis? The Burnham Review Sep 2006

6-20: Obesity, Infectobesity, Lymph Drainage and Lymphedema The Burnham Review Oct 2006

6-21: Disruption of Membrane and Mechanical Tension, The Burnham Review Oct 2006

6-22: Cecum, Large Intestine and Hypertrophy (Cecum H&H), The Burnham Review Nov 2006

by Kimberly Burnham, PhD, LMT, IMTC.

   Obesity and being overweight has a relationship with toxicity in the individual’s system. Often swelling, edema and fluid accumulation are due to the body’s reactions to a toxin taken in from their environment or diet. There are a number of ways to decrease toxicity, which then decreases the swelling and the person is able to return to a healthier state.

   At CenterIMT we use an integrative approach by combining the hands on Integrative Manual Therapy (IMT), Endermologie and Biophysiography. We work with a variety of clients including both adults and children. Some of the clients have chronic swelling originating from a surgery or trauma to a joint area, while others have systemic lymphedema or are overweight for a variety of reasons. This program is also used with nervous system conditions and clients with spinal cord injuries.

   The Endermologie program is part of our approach to support and work with the structures of the lymphatic and immune systems. Designed in France for the treatment of lymphedema and other medical conditions, the Endermologie machine is used in the United States primarily for cellulite treatment. The reason it has been successful with both lymphedema and cellulite is that both conditions are caused by dysfunctions of the lymphatic system resulting in an accumulation of fluid and toxins in the tissue. This also leads to adhesions of the connective tissue and a lack of tissue flexibility.

   The Endermologie equipment from LPG USA helps drain excess fluids by creating a suction effect with nozzles, which look somewhat similar to a vacuum cleaner attachment. The amount of suction and frequency of suction can be varied by the therapist. Each treatment should be comfortable for every client. The suction effect mobilizes excess fluid and moves toxins through the lymphatic system where they can be more effectively dealt with than if they stay trapped in the tissues.

   Once the fluid and toxins are moving, the IMT hands on treatment helps improve the structure of the lymph nodes, the liver, kidneys, pancreas, and other viscera which normally deal with the excess fluids and toxins. This is the reason this approach is so successful in conjunction with Integrative Manual Therapy.

   The IMT work also helps repair problem areas having a deficient immune response to the toxins. Work is done with the cardiovascular system to improve the lymph drainage in the chest area, which helps the whole system. Without an approach such as IMT, the reason for the swelling and toxicity in the tissues is an ongoing problem and treatment becomes a part of a maintenance program rather than the recovery program it is at CenterIMT.

   The Endermologie equipment is also used to decrease excess intracellular fluid making it easier to assess and treat tissues with bone bruises, a toxicity component, and disruptions in the soft tissue. A skilled practitioner of IMT is able to palpate the changes in the lymph motility (biologic rhythm of the lymphatic system that can be used to palpate the state of health of the lymphatic system) and in the breakdowns of tissues which often surface after an Endermologie session.

   Before and after the treatment, measurements may be taken at the calf; at the knee or thigh, noting the distance in inches from the floor. Measurements can also be taken at the hips (iliac crest) or waist (navel). The circumference of the body at the level of the breasts; arm pits and base of the neck are often used to note the progress of the client during the treatment period. Work often focuses on the neck, which is a particularly important area of the body, especially the lateral neck, where 30 percent of the body’s lymph nodes are found.

   In our clinics, if assessment shows that a client can benefit from Endermologie treatment, they book an appointment specifically for the Endermologie with one of our therapists trained in this modality. The client dresses in a special nylon body suit, which enables the therapist to glide the nozzle over the body surface. The client lies on a therapy table and the treatment typically lasts an hour which includes pre and post assessment but can be longer or shorter.

   Further information on Endermologie can be obtained by calling LPG USA at 1-800-222-3911 or at their web site: www.endermologie.com . Further information on Integrative Manual Therapy can be obtained at our web site: www.CenterIMT.com

   Clients are also encouraged to increase water intake to help flush out waste products and other toxins. They should also be drinking good quality green tea, and considering other Biophysiography, Functional Medicine and Homeopathy. Neurofascial Process (NFP) and homeopathic exercises for the lymphatic system are also available to clients.

   How many treatments are done depends on what the therapist is trying to accomplish. For someone who has a lot of excess fluid in the tissues, 10 total body sessions with 2-10 hours of IMT treatment in between each session might be appropriate. For someone with a lot of bone bruises on the right shin, a couple of Endermologie sessions focused on the shin with several hours of IMT for the bone bruises might be appropriate. Some CenterIMT clients may have 25 Endermologie sessions over a one year period, others have one or two sessions each time they come to the Intensive program, which might work out to 3 -5 sessions a year. Other clients have only one or two sessions focused on specific areas of dysfunction.

   How many treatments are done depends on what the therapist is trying to accomplish. For someone who has a lot of excess fluid in the tissues 10 total body sessions with 2-10 hours of IMT treatment in between each session might be appropriate. For someone with a lot of bone bruises on the right shin a couple of Endermologie session focused on the shin with several hours of IMT for the bone bruises might be appropriate. Some CenterIMT clients are having 25 Endermologie sessions over a one year period, others have one or two sessions each time they come to the intensive program, which might work out to 3 -5 sessions a year. Other clients have only one or two sessions focused on specific areas of dysfunction.

   Please consult your IMT Practitioner for more information or see www.CenterIMT.com

   Body Wisdom with Neurofascial Process (NFP) for increased drainage and decreased swelling

   Digestive Exercises to improve digestion and delivery of nutrients to healing tissue for a speedy recovery

   Clients are also encouraged to increase water intake to help flush out waste products and other toxins. They should also be drinking good quality green tea, considering medical foods such as Metagenics Ultra-InflamX, and considering other Biophysiography, Functional Medicine and Homeopathy.

   Neurofascial Process (NFP) and homeopathic exercises for the lymphatic system are also available to clients.

   Synchronizers for Lymph Drainage and Detoxification

   The benefit of doing each of the three modalities is that the endermologie mobilizes the fluids and toxins, the Integrative Manual Therapy treats the causes of the excess fluid and helps the person detoxify their system while the hyperbaric oxygen treatment infuses the tissues with oxygen, which is an important nutrient in the recovery of injured tissues.