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Key points:
¢ The lymphatic system of channels drain lymphatic fluid from the cells of the body.
¢ It is important in fighting infection.
¢ The lymphatic fluid is pumped by muscular action
¢ Osteopaths think that if the lymphatic system works properly this helps the patient’s health
¢ Osteopathic treatment can influence the lymphatic system
The lymph system is a network of organs, lymph nodes, lymph ducts, and lymph vessels that produce and transport a fluid called lymph from tissues to the bloodstream. The lymph system is a major part of the body's immune system.
Lymph, is a clear to white fluid which consists of: a fluid like plasma (the clear fluid in blood) and white blood cells, especially lymphocytes, the cells that attack bacteria in the blood .
The lymph system drains from the interstitial fluid that surrounds the cells of the body. All of the cells in your body are therefore bathed in lymph. The lympatic system is a bit like an overflow system. The other system of drainage is of course via the veins. But the veins of course have blood in them and are part of the circulatory system (of heart-artery-arterioles, - capillaries- venules -veins), with the heart pumping the blood around. The lymphactic system works alongside the circulatory system but works differently. There is no central pump like the heart and the lymphatic system is low-pressure .
So what makes the lymph travel through the lymphatic system? Lymph movement due to perstalsis (alternate contraction and relaxation of smooth muscle in the walls of the larger lymh vessels, as occurs in the gut to move food), valves, and, importantly, compression during contraction of adjacent skeletal muscle, and the pulsation of nearby areteries.. Another important factor, as with the drainage of the veins, is the action of the daiphragm in breathing. As you breath in it descends, the pressure in the chest drops and that in the abdomen increases, causing a pumping action on the thoracic duct that carries lymph from the lower to the upper body.
And where does it go? The lymph ultimatley drains back into the blood circulatory system at the right and left subclavian arteries at the root of the neck above the first rib.
The lymphatic system includes the tonsils, adenoids, spleen, and thymus.
Lymph nodes are small, bean-shaped, soft nodules. They cannot usually be seen or easily felt. They are located in clusters in various parts of the body, such as the neck, armpit, groin, and inside the centre of the chest and abdomen. People call them “glands”, as in “swollen glands”, but they are not really glands. Next time you get an infection and the lymphatics swell, confuse your friends by telling them you have “swollen nodes”!
Lymph nodes produce immune cells that help the body fight infection. They also filter the lymph fluid and remove foreign material such as bacteria .. When bacteria are recognized in the lymph fluid, the lymph nodes produce more infection-fighting white blood cells, which causes the nodes to swell. Your osteopath may well check your lymph nodes as part of the examination, to see if they are swollen or not.
Not surprisingly, osteopaths regard the motion of lymphatic fluid as important to health and resisting infection. Osteopaths are interested not just in the movement of joints, but the movement of fluid as well.There are several osteopathic approaches to improving lymphatic drainage. One is straightforward lymphatic drainage techniques such as effleurage, which is a firm stroking of the tissues towrd the chest cavity. As part of the Perrin Technique for ME/CFS form of efflueurage is used by the osteopath on specific areas thought to be associasted with poor lymphatic drainage in patients with the condition.Another is the “thoracic pump” which uses rhythmic pressure on the upper ribs and breastbone. But more widely, osteopaths will look at that compression of the lymph vessels during skeletal (ie voluntary) muscle contraction, looking at the range and efficiency of muscle activity. In particular they look at the motion of the diaphragm , which are mentioned above, has a major influence on lymphatic flow.
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