What is lymphatic congestion and why does it occur?

According to some experts, about 140 million people on the planet suffer from lymph stagnation. Other researchers claim that this figure is much higher. Whatever it was, but people often do not even realize that they have this problem. More precisely, a person understands that something is wrong with the body, but does not associate this condition with lymph. Meanwhile, it is absolutely impossible to underestimate the stagnation of lymph: this condition can cause very serious health problems.

What is lymphatic congestion

If there is a system in the human body that most of us know almost nothing about, it is the lymphatic system. Although the correct functioning of other systems, including the circulatory and immune systems, depends on it. It is the lymphatic system that takes care of removing toxic and pathogenic substances from the body. Therefore, stagnation of the lymph is always serious. But before analyzing how dangerous this condition is for a person, it is necessary to understand at least in general terms what the lymphatic system is.

The main thing to understand is that the lymphatic system is made up of many blood vessels that run throughout the body. A liquid flows through these vessels – lymph, which consists of water and toxins, waste metabolites that the body does not need. Lymph nodes are located in certain areas of this vascular system. These are kind of reservoirs into which lymph flows for purification. That is, if this scheme is greatly simplified, then it is important for a person that the lymph filled with “garbage” gets into the lymph node and gets rid of it there. But if, for some reason, the lymphatic substance does not enter the lymph nodes, but remains unpurified in the vessels and soft tissues, they speak of lymph stagnation. That is, stagnation of the lymph is a violation of the outflow and purification of the lymphatic fluid. What is fraught with – let’s talk further.

Why arises

One of the most common causes of lymphatic congestion is inactivity. To understand how the fluid in the vessels is associated with physical activity, we must again return to the structure and principles of the lymphatic system. The trick is that the lymphatic system does not have an organ that would pump fluid through the vessels (for comparison: blood circulates through the body due to heart contractions). Lymph is able to move correctly through the vessels only due to the movements of the body (walking, running, physical work, doing various sports, etc.). If the whole reason for lymph stagnation is inactivity, then it is quite easy to correct the situation without the help of doctors. But there are other, more serious causes of stagnation of the lymph flow.

Disorders in the work of the lymphatic system can occur as a result of such diseases and conditions:

• lymph node injuries;
• neoplasms in the lymphatic system;
• paralysis or other diseases that limit mobility;
• removal of lymph nodes during breast surgery;
• obstruction of the lymph nodes;
• serious infectious diseases;
• obesity;
• squeezing of the lymphatic vessels;
• hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid gland);
• blockage of veins;
• hormonal disorders.

In addition, lymphatic congestion can occur after taking certain medications, due to alcohol abuse or drug use. Another common cause of improper lymph flow is dehydration.

Signs of lymph stasis

Recognizing the stagnation of lymph is easy. The first and most obvious sign of impaired lymph flow is edema. But one thing needs to be understood here. From time to time, everyone can experience swelling due to stagnation of fluid in the body. For example, after eating very salty food or alcohol, in hot weather, or after a long journey. If this happened once, and the swelling itself quickly passed, then there is nothing to worry about. Another thing is if swelling has become an integral part of life: they are very noticeable and appear constantly. In this case, most likely, there are problems in the lymphatic system.

Edema with stagnation of lymph has characteristic signs. As a rule, puffiness is observed on the arms or legs. Often, not both limbs swell at once, but only one, while the other remains in a normal state. In such cases, experts speak of a unilateral accumulation of lymphatic fluid. In addition to the limbs, with lymph stagnation, edema can appear on the face, in the chest and abdomen, and, most dangerously, the internal organs swell.

By the way, cellulite, which many women perceive only as a cosmetic problem, and excess weight is considered its cause, is actually also one of the signs of lymph stagnation. In fact, the “orange peel” is swollen and overgrown connective tissue.

The easiest method for home diagnosis is the usual finger pressure on the swollen area. If even after not strong pressure on the tissue there are dents that level out very slowly, this is already a reason to see a doctor.

Why is lymph stasis dangerous?

When the body loses the ability to get rid of waste products of metabolism in time, they begin to accumulate in the intercellular space. In this case, not only the lymphatic system suffers, but the whole body. Toxins accumulate in tissues, causing various health problems. Stagnation of lymph causes swelling, disturbances in the functioning of the immune system, intoxication processes begin in the body, and a person weakens.

Many people perceive soft tissue swelling as a purely cosmetic problem. And they are very much mistaken. When the tissue swells, it increases in volume and begins to put pressure on the blood vessels. The stronger the swelling, the more pressure is placed on the capillaries, arteries and veins. As a result, blood flow worsens, the nutrition of internal organs is disrupted. If the swelling is very strong, it can cause not only discomfort, but also pain.

Due to stagnation of the lymph, diseases and conditions such as:

Treatment of stagnant lymph

To treat signs of lymph stagnation, a comprehensive program is used, which includes medication and physiotherapy.

Patients are usually prescribed drugs with a decongestant effect, as well as to normalize blood circulation, increase vascular tone and reduce blood viscosity. In addition to these groups of drugs, people with impaired lymph flow are advised to take vitamin complexes and immunomodulators. If severe swelling appears on the legs, special compression stockings should be worn during the day (as an alternative, bandages using an elastic bandage).

Physiotherapy treatment includes laser and magnetotherapy, manual massages and showers. In addition, there is a set of exercises that help improve lymph outflow and eliminate swelling from the limbs. One of the most effective exercises is known as the Marilyn Monroe “feet on the wall” exercise. They say that in this way the actress was saved from swelling of her legs. To do this, lie on your back, put a pillow under your head, bend your legs at the knees at a right angle and rest your feet against the wall (this measures the correct distance between the wall and the hips). Next, the legs should be straightened and already in this state, lean against the wall. In this position, it is useful to spend 10 minutes a day. During the exercise, you should relax, breathe evenly, while exhaling should be 2 times longer than inhaling.

How to improve lymph flow

The best prevention of lymph stagnation is a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.

drink more water

Maintaining the necessary hydration is extremely important in order for the lymph to actively move through the vessels and drain properly. Lymph is about 95% fluid, which is why it’s important to drink plenty of clean water throughout the day. Dehydration is one of the most common causes of lymphatic congestion. But what is important, to eliminate this cause is quite easy. The average daily water intake for an adult healthy person is 30 ml per kilogram of body weight. Checking if the body is suffering from dehydration is also very easy. To do this, pay attention to the color of your urine. It should be straw colored. If it is darker, it is necessary to increase the amount of liquid consumed. If you find it difficult to drink so much pure water, you can add a slice of lemon, some greens, or a few fresh berries to it. But it is important that it be water, not juices or other drinks.

Move more

Along with maintaining hydration, daily exercise is very important for proper lymph flow. Any physical activity speeds up the breathing rate, improves blood circulation and stimulates the consumption of more fluids, and together these factors help to pump the lymph through the system, preventing it from becoming stagnant. To improve the movement of lymph through the vessels, it is most useful to engage in walking, running and jumping. Although less active yoga is also beneficial for the lymphatic system. Twisting and stretching exercises cause tissue contraction and thus promote proper lymph flow. It is very important to perform daily physical exercises for people who have a “sedentary” job. Inactivity is one of the most common causes of lymph stagnation.

Dry brush massage

This technique has been known for centuries and has been used in oriental medicine since ancient times. Nowadays, she is experiencing a surge of unprecedented popularity. Massaging the body with a dry brush with stiff bristles improves blood flow and prevents lymphatic congestion. But it is important to do all movements from the bottom up towards the heart.

Sauna

If there are no contraindications, it is useful to visit a bath or sauna to improve lymphatic drainage. When the body warms up, it improves blood circulation and lymph movement. In addition, while a person is in the sauna, the parasympathetic nervous system is turned on, that is, the body goes into relaxation mode. And it’s also good for the lymphatic system, as stress is one of the culprits in slowing lymph flow.

Pay attention to nutrition

The best foods for the lymphatic system are fruits, vegetables, and nuts and seeds. Raw vegetables and fruits contain antioxidants and enzymes that help the body break down and eliminate toxins faster. All plant foods are important for the lymphatic system, but green leafy greens in this group take a special place of honor. Such food contains a lot of chlorophyll, which improves the functioning of the lymphatic system.

As for seeds and nuts, they contain omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids, which, among other beneficial actions, also help to cleanse the lymph of toxins. But it is important to understand that seeds and nuts are best consumed raw. Fried or glazed do not bring the desired effect.

Practice breathing exercises

Breathing exercises have many benefits. One of them is the improvement of lymph outflow. If you devote 10-15 minutes to breathing exercises daily, this will speed up the movement of lymph through the vessels. During deep breathing, pressure is created on the lymphatic system and thus the fluid in it moves up.

advice to women

Most of the lymph nodes are concentrated in the shoulders, armpits and chest. If pressure is applied to these areas, for example by a too tight bra or bra underwire, lymph is not able to properly reach the lymph nodes. In this case, lymph stagnation can cause swelling of the lymph nodes, the formation of fibrocystic tissue in the mammary glands, and even malignant tumors.

The consequences of lymph stagnation can be very serious and cause a variety of diseases, including cancer. But the good news is that improving lymphatic flow is usually easy and can be done without much effort.