This therapeutic massage is a low-pressure and painless treatment that uses rhythmic strokes.
The lymphatic system is a complex network of lymph nodes and vessels that runs throughout our bodies and is responsible for transporting lymph fluids containing toxins, biological waste, various proteins, and fats. It helps to fight infections or viruses by collecting toxins found in the body and flushing them out via the lymph nodes, while transporting oxygen and nutrients to cells. The lymphatic system requires pressure from the blood vessels and movement from muscles to be pumped around the body. Hence, it is important to drain the lymph system regularly to promote better circulation and regulate our immune system.
Fluid regulation is a critical function of the lymphatic system in our bodies. Water retention occurs when excess fluid is not removed, and water collects in the area. Water retention, swelling, or edema are all terms used to describe this condition. In technical terms, fluid from blood plasma exits the blood vessels at our capillaries, and while most of it returns to the blood via osmosis in the capillaries, some extracellular fluids remain in the interstitial spaces and must be returned to the blood via lymphatic vessels. When lymph fluids enter the subclavian veins, the lymphatic system removes the excess fluids left in the cells and returns them to the circulatory system.
The TCM equivalent for the lymphatic system is San Jiao, which shares similar functions of fluid regulation, elimination of wastes and toxins, and playing a part in our body's metabolism.
San Jiao serves a very important function as a passageway for the movement of “qi”, heat, and fluid throughout the body. It is also vital in the removal of wastes and is closely involved in the metabolism processes in the body. It plays an important role in fluid regulation in TCM. San Jiao is the connecting pathway between various organs, ensuring that fluid can flow freely between them in separate energizers so that our bodies can function normally. Our body fluid is made up of food that has been broken down by our digestive system and then processed by various organs to moisten and nourish the viscera and the rest of the body. The lung in the upper energizer, the spleen in the middle, and the kidney in the lower energizer are the most important organs for water metabolism. “The Triple Burner holds the key,” the ancient Chinese book Elementary Questions (Su Wen) explains.