The Post-Surgical Twist
As you are searching for a Post-Surgical Post-Op Therapist to provide post-op MLD for you, our tip is not to just look at the advertising or how glamorous their office is. Look for a Certified Manual Lymphatic Drainage Therapist that carries credentials with some clinical, medical, post-operative training(s) and strong hand on practical experiences. Look at who they connect with, who are their mentors, sidelines, teachers, and trainers. From where did they receive their training(s) and education(s)? Ask to see their credentials. Ask if you can talk to their previous patients. Ask if they have attended any post operative CE classes.
Did you know that general massage therapists may only get a glance “generally” of MLD without going into a deep detail of training during schooling? MLD is not taught in traditional massage schools. PS-MLD is the next advanced training of MLD. Just finding a licensed massage therapist doesn’t imply that person is qualified to provide MLD therapy for your lymphatic conditions including management of post plastic surgery procedures, side effects of cancer treatment, or lymphedema needs.
In the State of California, one can be a Certified Massage Therapist (CMT) but to professionally provide benefits of MLD, one needs at the minimum 45-135 hours of advanced and specialized training from a LANA Recognized Schools (Lymphology Association of N. America) Program in Certified Manual Lymphatic Drainage (Vodder Technique) Therapy. Manual Lymphatic Drainage Therapy is a specialty of massage.
Currently there are 4 styles of Manual Lymphatic Drainage Massage that are acceptable, recognized, and accredited worldwide. (Of course, respectfully, there are many other MLD new styles and techniques out there). Most of these techniques include both lectures (anatomy, physiology, pathogen, case-studies) and hands-on practice for more 40- 135 hours or more combined intensively. Anything else including squeezing method, drain method, incisional line drainage, Brazilian Lymphatic Drainage, Lymphatic Massage, Lymphatic Express, Squeezing Technique, Ultrasonic RF and Cavitation Method or whatever you may call it, IT IS NOT a technique of a Lymphatic Drainage/ Care. And they should not apply to any kind of cosmetic and orthopedic post-operative patients at any point in time during their recovery stage 1-4 because they can increase the risk of infection, fibrosis, internal formation of scarring/ adhesion, ecchymosis, interruption of blood supply and skin, more.
Manual lymphatic drainage massage immediately after the surgery, we call it recovery stage 1 through 5 there is only application of Post-Surgical Manual Lymphatic Drainage Massage (PS-MLD) with hand technique only. No application of machinery, no oil or cream of any kind and no pushing and squeezing incision line.