MLD - MANUAL LYMPHATIC DRAINAGE

Valerie is a Certified Lymphedema Therapist & Certified Manual Lymphatic Drainage Therapist,

having trained with The Norton School of Lymphatic Therapy at OSU Hospital.

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PRE & POST-OPERATIVE CARE

Specializing in providing traditional & modern MLD Manual Lymphatic Drainage

as well as Massage Therapy both pre & post-op.

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MLD can be utilized for a variety of conditions, including Lymphedema, Lipidema, Lipodermatosclerosis,

Diabetes, Venous Insufficiency, Cancer & Various Autoimmune.

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Full Circle Vitality MLD sessions include -

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MLD

Internationally renowned traditional German Vodder-style MLD as well as MLD specific to pre & post-op care,

both of which utilize specific drainage techniques for swelling.

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Aromatherapy

Powerful essential oils are chosen for their therapeutic drainage properties.

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Acupressure 

Chinese medicine based on the concept of energy which flows through meridians in the body, clearing blockages within these channels thereby helping the body to heal itself.

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Medical Cupping

Suction of the skin and fascia creating negative compression which is excellent for circulation

and releasing restrictions/adhesions/connective tissue.

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Vibrational & Chi Movement Therapy

In addition to deep diaphragmatic breathing in order to move lymph, Vibrational and Chi Movement modalities are employed

to move the most lymph possible during this MLD treatment.

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Full Circle Vitality's MLD service will differ greatly from any traditional MLD you may have had in the past. While Vodder-style MLD is the main modality practiced in Valerie's MLD session, it is far from the only one. MLD sessions in studio were designed with the end result in mind of greatly decreasing your lymphatic fluid overload for each treatment.

All modalities were carefully selected in the MLD session for your

absolute best results possible. 

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You will be assisted with post-op care instructions from your surgeon to help you learn the proper steps for wearing your compressions, 

foams & boards. Valerie is very knowledgeable in other products that may help during this time. Should fibrosis develop during after care, she has taken many courses to address this condition and is certified in the removal of fibrotic conditions.

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Best results are achieved in scheduling your regular MLD manual lymphatic drainage sessions to begin directly before and shortly after your surgery date. There is nothing set in stone for how many sessions you will need, as this will be reassessed at each studio visit.

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Every patient is completely different in presenting with various individual needs, so just generally speaking, treatment could look as follows -

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3x/week for 1-2 weeks

2x/week for 1-2 weeks

1x/week for 1-2 weeks

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You may choose to stop here if your swelling has subsided or add 1x/week every other week for 1-2 weeks and then 1x/month following that until there is no more swelling. You only require MLD while your body is in lymphatic overload, predictably 2-3 months post surgery.

Valerie will work within your individual needs, constantly re-evaluating those needs until treatment is no longer needed and continuously updating you as to the status of where you are at with your healing post-op.

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Some patients heal faster than others and do not have to do the full amount of recommended massages. This can sometimes mean that patients are released from therapy after only a few sessions in-studio. Plan to stick with your lymphatic treatment for 1-2 months post-op. Know that you are in charge of your care and can stop absolutely anytime you like.

Fibrosis is usually discovered approximately 3 or more weeks post-op, but can be apparent within the first 10 days following your surgery. It is imperative to begin fibrosis treatments immediately with Valerie for best results. Once fibrosis sets in, it can turn to hardened scar tissue - these are the "lumps & bumps" that send clients back to their surgeons for revisions. Now as hardened scar tissue, this is much more difficult for a trained therapist to remove and here surgical intervention is most likely necessary.

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PLEASE NOTE - Post-op care with Full Circle Vitality does not include squeezing fluids out of incisions or extracting fluid via a needle/syringe.

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Traditional Manual Lymphatic Drainage massage is an extremely light touch, yet wonderfully profound therapy that removes fluid from the body by channeling the overloaded post-op swelling through the lymphatic system which is then urinated out.

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Unfortunately, there are people advertising post-op "care" who are not licensed therapists. 

Please understand they have no certification from any of the reputable lymphatic schools as these schools require you to be a health professional in order to enroll in their lymphatic studies. You must be an MD, OT, PT, Nurse or LMT to continue further lymphatic education at these schools.

Always do your own research and ask for credentials when securing your post-op therapist. Your therapist should be an actual licensed massage therapist (LMT) with the Ohio State Medical Board practicing massage therapy and in addition, be certified in MLD Manual Lymphatic Drainage therapy as a CMLDT. No MLD session would ever consist of squeezing fluid out of incisions or extracting fluid via needle/syringe. Should you develop a seroma during your recovery, only a nurse or your surgeon should be removing this fluid from your body.