Bye Bye Swollen Glands
I struggled with swollen lymph nodes for at least a decade. It was clear to me that the swelling was causing and exacerbating my pain and I also speculated that the swelling was connected to other debilitating symptoms I was experiencing, such as with my digestive, respiratory, and neurological systems. I raised my concerns to my providers, but I couldn’t seem to get anyone to pay attention. The message I routinely received was that such swelling is “common” for people with my list of conditions (particularly the Hypermobility Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS) and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome). Okay cool, but what can we do about it?!
I had a few days of swelling relief in 2018 thanks to the gifted hands of my Integrative Manual Therapist. In 2021, I began a research project to try to understand the lymphatic system and what I could do to calm down the swelling and improve my lymphatic health. I found a couple of great resources (Dr. Perry Nickleston’s The Big 6 and Lisa Leavitt Gainsley’s Instagram account and book), and started incorporating lymphatic drainage techniques into my daily routine. But it wasn’t until I began working with my neuro performance trainer, Steve Madama, in 2022 on a comprehensive and personalized program that I found substantial and, dare I say permanent, improvement! Read on to learn how I made my swollen lymph nodes go away!
What is the Lymphatic System and Why is it Important?
The lymphatic system is an essential component of our circulatory and immune systems. It is often referred to as the body’s sewage or recycling system because it cleans out the body’s excess waste. The lymphatic system consists of a network of vessels, nodes, and organs that work together to transport a lymph fluid throughout the body. The lymphatic system plays several crucial roles, including maintaining fluid balance, supporting the immune response, and aiding in the absorption of fats and fat-soluble vitamins from the digestive system. The lymphatic system doesn’t have a central pump, so it relies on skeletal movement, diaphragmatic breathing, exercise, and lymphatic massage to function well.
Lymph nodes are the hub where bacteria, viruses, and pathogens are filtered out so that the lymphatic fluid can return to the bloodstream toxin-free. Our bodies have hundreds of lymph nodes, but the bulk are clustered in the neck, armpits, spleen, abdomen, top of the thigh, and behind the knees and elbows. When the lymphatic system becomes overwhelmed - effectively, clogged - it doesn’t function well and can cause issues in other bodily systems (i.e., digestive system, respiratory system, neurological system, etc.).
A poorly functioning lymphatic system can lead to all sorts of issues including: swelling, infections, skin issues, fatigue, pain, heaviness, aching, digestive issues, decreased immunity, poor wound healing. Check. Check. Check. Check. Check. Check. Check. Check. Check. Check.
What Helped Me!
The internet is filled with tips on how to improve your lymph health. Things like dry brushing, drinking lots of water, diaphragmatic breathing, and lymphatic drainage massage techniques (again, my resources for learning the lymph drainage techniques were primarily from Dr. Nickleston’s The Big 6 and Lisa Leavitt Gainsley’s Instagram and book). I was doing all of those things and only making itty bitty progress, which is still better than nothing, but I was looking for more.
The mobility exercises I began doing with my neuro performance trainer as part of a comprehensive and customized approach to improve every aspect of my health and performance were and continue to be KEY to my lymphatic health. As someone with hEDS, my mobility sucked. Yes, I was (and am) wildly flexible, but flexibility and mobility are not the same thing. My hEDS and associated struggle with proprioception led to a host of issues with my joints, which was making it hard for the lymph fluid to flow (more on the topic of hEDS and mobility another time!). Learning how to safely mobilize my joints, and developing an intentional mobility practice for my joints, felt like it unblocked the lymph traffic jam that had been accumulating for so long. While I prioritize doing a few minutes of mobility exercises for all my joints every day, the shoulder mobility, pelvic, and neck mobility exercises have played the biggest role in my lymphatic happiness. Adding in sensory work - like with a Theragun - on the lymphatic cluster points has also been a surprising game changer.
Thanks to my upgraded lymphatic health - and overall health - routine, swelling is no longer part of my every day experience. And on the rare occasion that I notice a bit of swelling popping up, I know what to do to make it go away!
Do it With Me!
My social media community requested that I share a real day-in-the life video of my lymphatic health routine, so here it is! Every day is a little different. Sometimes I do a more abridged version, sometimes a longer version, and sometimes I’ll focus more or less on a certain body part. But the pillars of my routine are here. And yes, the wiggles are an important part!