Health Conditions That May Be Linked To Lymphatic Issues

The lymphatic system is one of the least understood of the body's systems, and yet incredibly important. This system is the body's first line of defense when it comes to dealing with your immune system, such as bringing white blood cells to an infection or adding fluids to tissues for healing inflammation. However, when your lymphatic system is compromised or weak, these things can be difficult. Here is a look at some of the different conditions you can have when your lymphatic system is compromised.

Lymphedema

The most common condition that you see when your lymphatic system is compromised is lymphedema. This condition has symptoms like swelling, redness, skin thickening and tightening, and an increased risk of infection. Lymphedema can be caused by under-functioning lymph nodes or missing lymph nodes. This is a common condition in people who have had many lymph nodes removed due to issues like cancer.

The swelling due to lymphedema can be managed, to an extent, by lymphatic massage. This treatment is most effective in the early stages of lymphedema. If you wish to try this kind of treatment, it is worthwhile to find a trained, experienced practitioner of lymphatic drainage massage. Your massage therapist will be able to talk to you about the range of likely outcomes and recommend how often you should see them in order to gain maximum results.

Inflammatory Conditions

Inflammation is caused, in part, by a large release of chemicals called cytokines in the system. These cytokines are released through the lymphatic system. This creates a chain reaction that leads to tissue swelling.

Chronic inflammation based on high volumes of cytokines can increase the frequency and intensity of many different conditions, including psoriasis, ulcerative colitis, and more recently, long COVID.

Infections

While white blood cells can be found in the vascular blood system, they travel more quickly to tissues through the lymphatic system. If your lymphatic system is compromised, you will be less likely to get the required white blood cells to the infected areas. If you cannot heal an infection quickly, it increases the risk of spreading throughout your body.

The ability of your lymphatic system to prevent infection is difficult for a doctor to test. Lymph draws don't work as well as blood draws, so medical professionals must guestimate the white blood count in your lymph based on the values in your blood. This provides some of the necessary information, but if your lymphatic system is blocked or slow, you can't see this information in a blood test.

To keep your lymphatic system healthy, drink plenty of fluids and make sure to exercise regularly. Make sure that all the parts of your body are moved, including putting your arms up in the air and stretching. Long, bouncy, vigorous walks can also help to stimulate lymphatic flow. For those who need more than typical assistance in strengthening their lymphatic system, consider booking a lymphatic drainage massage.