Here is some of the information I recently shared in my October newsletter. Each newsletter has a specific focus. This month is focused on lymph, lymphedema and lymphatic drainage information. If you would be interested in receiving my newsletters, please head over to my contact page and sign up.
STUDIES, ARTICLES, and RESOURCES
I receive a weekly update on anything published anywhere on the internet that includes information about lymphatic drainage and lymph. I try to glean the best of the information and provide a brief synopsis of the information. If you come across any information that you think would be good to share, please also feel free to pass that information along to: info@holistichealingarts.net
1. An article, printed in the University of Virginia’s UVAToday, announces UVA Identifies Brain’s Lymphatic Vessels as new Avenue to Treat Multiple Sclerosis. “The vessels appear to carry previously unknown messages from the brain to the immune system that ultimately trigger the disease’s symptoms. Blocking those messages may offer doctors a new way to treat a devastating condition that affects more than 2 million people.”
2. An article published in Health, titled Study finds first possible drug treatment for lymphedema summarized "The study conducted at Stanford and originally published in Science Translation Medicine asserts: uncovered for the first time the molecular mechanism responsible for triggering lymphedema, as well as a drug with the potential for inhibiting that process."
3. A study, Complex Therapy Physical Alone or Associated with Strengthening Exercises in Patients with Lymphedema after Breast Cancer Treatment: a controlled clinical trial, published in Europe PMC, concluded: strengthening exercises can be performed by patients with lymphedema safely, without the risk of increasing upper limb volume with edema.
4. A study, titled Comparison of the effectiveness of complex decongestive therapy and compression bandaging as a method of treatment of lymphedema in the elderly, published in Clin Interv Aging in May 2018 focused on comparing the effectiveness of multi-layer compression bandaging (MCB) and complex decongestive therapy (CDT) and to show that MCB is a cheaper, more accessible and less labor intensive method of treating lymphedema in elderly patients. The study concluded: compression bandaging is a vital component of CDT. Maxim lymphedema reduction during therapy and maintaining its effect cannot be achieved without it.
5. A study, titled Low-frequency vibrotherapy considerably improves the effectiveness of manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) in patients with lipedema: a two-armed, randomized, controlled pragmatic trial, by Rainer Schneider and published in the Journal Physiotherapy Theory and Practice online at Taylor & Francis concluded: Combining MLD with vibrotherapy treatment drastically enhances the effectiveness of treating lipedema.
6. A study, Lymphedema techniques to manage edema after SCI (Spinal Cord Injury): a retrospective analysis and published in Nature concludes: We found the mCDT (modified complete decongestive therapy) approach to be safe and well-tolerated by the patients with SCI. The intervention was associated with decreased edema, and was feasible for use in a clinical setting. We recommend considering this mCDT approach for management of edema in individuals with SCI while remaining vigilant about skin inspection.
MISCELLANEOUS
In a summary published in the Annals of Anatomy in July 2018, The deep lymphatic anatomy of the hand, eight hands were dissected and the results: five groups of deep collecting lymph vessels were found in the hand—superficial palmar arch, deep palmar arch, thenar, hypothenar, deep finger. Each group of vessels drained in different directions first, then all turned and ran towards the wrist in different layers. Pictures are included in the article
An article, Negative pressure therapy in the management of lymphedema by Frederick Hulme Gott, Kathleen Ly, Neil Piller, and Andrea Mansion, discusses the different types of negative pressure technology (Kinesiological tape, deep breathing, cupping and negative pressure devises and how they affect the lymphatic system. The article is detailed but easy to understand.
An article, Manual lymph drainage may not have a preventive effect on the development of breast cancer-related lymphedema in the long term: a randomized trial, published in Journal of Physiotherapy Oct 2018, concludes manual lymph drainage may not have a preventive effect on the development of breast cancer-related lymphedema in the short and long term.