Manual Lymphatic Drainage & Myofascial Trigger Point Therapy
Manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) is a specific manual movement pattern that is used to "decongest" the involved area and "get the fluid moving" in the right direction. Without proper lymphatic drainage techniques the fluid simply has nowhere to go and all the other steps are rendered, if not useless, then highly compromised. An experienced MLD therapist with the proper "touch" cannot be over-emphasized in its importance to the overall effectiveness of your therapys outcome.
Hilton Head Occupational Therapy is proud to be unique in its approach to Complete Decongestive Therapy as we utilize myofascial trigger point therapy with every patient. A trigger point is an area of hyperexcitability inside a muscle, tendon or ligament. Along with the overload of lymphatic fluid to the involved appendage comes an overload in the muscular tissue that results in palpable trigger points in the skeletal muscle that must be addressed and treated along with the lymphedema. (For more detailed information click on the link to our position paper entitled, "Lymphedema and Myofascial Trigger Points")