Lymph Nodes
As described on https://www.healthdirect.gov.au “Lymph nodes (or lymph glands) are small lumps of tissue that contain white blood cells, which fight infection. They are part of the body’s immune system and filter lymph fluid, which is composed of fluid and waste products from body tissues”.
As described above Lymph Nodes are filtering stations that thanks to a complex system based on the actions of the white cells, the exchange of liquid with the blood system helps to keep the lymph clean before it gets to the blood system.
Lymph nodes are located in different body areas. On average we have approx 600 LN.
In the neck area only we find 160 LN itself.
LN can vary in size and go from 2 to 30 mm.
Lymph Nodes are connected one to each other by vessels, better known as afferent and efferent vessels.
The afferent vessels carry the lymph to the lymph node and the efferent vessels take the lymph away from the lymph nodes.
Siad so, the lymph nodes are connected directly to the blood system too, veins and arteria.
Despite the structures that enter and leave the LN these cleaning stations are made of:
- Connective tissue capsule
- Supporting strands of connective tissue inside
- Below marginal sinus, there are clusters of lymphocytes= lymphoid follicles
- Artery, vein and nerve
As for the filtering station, the LN are essential to ensure that no bacteria viruses or dirt can access the blood system.
Where we find no Lymph Node, is in the brain.
Indeed the Lympha around this area gets drained by the Optic and Olfatic nerves.
Following then the position of the lymph nodes, we can define the watershed.
In this blog post, I already spoke about the watershed and its functionality along with an MLD treatment.
Lymph Node can occasionally be swollen and that happens when the body is fighting an infection.
In my practitioner experience, I often have to refer to LN to introduce the client to MLD treatment.
Not many clients know about this technique, they are more familiar with Thai Massage and Remedial Massage indeed.
Said so, the client who tried MLD are all well impressed with its benefit.
If you haven’t book in your appointment yet and wish to give a goal to MLD, please follow this link.
Said so, Be aware that with my Vodder Academy training done till now, I can treat a patient who has an intact lymphatic system only.
Hopefully, by the end of this year, I will be able to attend further courses.
If that’s the case I will be then able to treat the patients with Lymphodema and or missing lymph nodes due to surgery or post-cancer treatment.