The Lymphatic System & Osteopathic Medicine
The Lymphatic system is the network of vessels that transport immune cells and antibodies from the tissues of the body to our lymph nodes. This vast network of lymph channels allows the body to fight off infections and maintain our overall health. This system runs in tandem with our circulatory system, nervous system, and runs from the brain down to our toes. Failure of the lymphatic system to thrive leads to infection, swelling, edema, inflammation, and poor ability to heal.
Interventions to boost your lymphatic circulation, such as Osteopathic Manipulation, will help to circulate immune cells, relieve swelling and inflammation, and generate a more robust healing response. Specific Osteopathic techniques such as the Pedal Pump, can be applied to the body by a D.O. (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine), to circulate the lymphatic fluids up and down the body, via a gentle pumping motion starting at the foot and ankles. You may also boost your lymphatic system at home by doing trampoline-based exercises. By jumping on a trampoline, your calf muscles become activated and create a lymphatic pumping mechanism throughout your body.
The first study to objectively show that lymphatic pumps increased the rate of lymphatic fluid flow was published in 2005 in the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association (JAOA). They also discovered that exercise also significantly increased lymphatic flow, which proves why regular movement and exercise is so important for optimal health. Osteopathic lymphatic pump techniques offer a great natural mechanism to bolster and boost your immune system preventatively, to help your body fight infection if you’re feeling ill.
If you’re feeling under the weather, achey, or out of balance, call our office at (856) 270-6800, or visit our website home page, to schedule a free consultation with Dr. King for some hands-on Osteopathic healing today!
Sources: