In my last post we discussed what the lymphatic system is and what it does. I’d like to go a little deeper and discuss how this system works and what can lead it to malfunction. 

Lymphatic circulation

Our lymph starts its journey when it’s first taken up by the lymphatic vessels from the circulatory system. It’s only at this point where we start to call the fluid lymph. Before this point it’s only referred to as extracellular fluid. Unlike the circulatory system, the lymphatic system doesn’t have the heart to directly help move the fluid throughout the vessels towards its end goal, which is being brought back into the circulatory system. The lymphatic system relies on a couple different factors to help move the lymph forward.

Lymphatic Valves

The first and main factor in helping with lymph flow is the system of valves that are found throughout the lymphatic system. Between two valves there are little chambers and when one valve opens it draws in the lymph. Once the chamber is full the valve closes to keep any lymph from flowing backward and then the next valve opens and continues down the lymphatic vessels.  

There are two different types of muscle that help push the lymph forward. Smooth muscle surrounds the lymph vessel and contracts involuntarily. The second is called skeletal muscle. These are the muscles that we use to move around (think quads, biceps, glutes, etc.). Both of these muscle types work in concert and when they contract it helps squeeze the lymph forward.

Lymph nodes

As the lymph travels down the lymphatic vessels it will reach one of approximately 600 lymph nodes scattered throughout the lymphatic system. Once the lymph reaches one of these nodes, the lymphatic system’s other main function comes into play. When there is an infection, even a minor one, each node acts as a filtration point. They filter out any bacteria that have been travelling along with our lymph. In addition to filtering out any bacteria, we also have T and B cells housed within our lymph nodes.

These cells are part of our immune system and when they encounter bacteria within the lymph node, they begin to mobilize other immune cells towards the area the lymph was taken up by the lymphatic system as that would be the most likely area of infection. This is an incredibly important function of our lymphatic system. If we didn’t have that filtration happening in our lymph nodes then when our lymph finally finishes its journey and gets put back into our bloodstream, all the bacteria that should have been filtered out would also get put back into our bloodstream and could lead to an infection of the blood.

Like every good system, our lymphatic system can break down and lead to several health problems. Some of the conditions that can lead to a malfunctioning lymphatic system are:

Injury

Parasitic infection

Cancer (lymphoma)

Skin infections like cellulitis

Surgery/scar tissue

Tumors

When the lymphatic system starts to dysfunction it can lead to some of the following symptoms:

Lymphedema -an accumulation of lymph in lymphatic vessels which is caused by a blockage along the lymphatic vessel. This is often due to damaged lymph vessels or nodes from scar tissue or having lymph nodes removed in surgery

Swelling in the limbs, usually in the lower legs

Aching/discomfort

Toughening or thickening of the skin

Limited movement in the affected limbs

Pitting of the skin-an issue when you can press into the affected area of skin and an indent will be left from where you applied pressure

There are a few options available for people looking to treat the symptoms that come along with a compromised lymphatic system and one such option is through lymphatic drainage massage, which is what I will be discussing in my next post. There are a few styles of lymphatic drainage massage, but we will be discussing the Vodder lymphatic drainage, which is the style that we offer here at Ashby House.