Integrative Physiotherapy & Manual Lymphatic Drainage

1. Is it essential to feel pain or any symptoms to book a physio?

No! On the contrary, nowadays, the concept of visiting the physio for muscle or joint pain is shifting more toward awareness. You must consult a physiotherapist for treatments from a preventive point of view before you acquire symptoms like stiffness, muscle tension, lack of mobility, injuries, and headaches show up.

Integrative physiotherapy helps a person to have a better understanding of their ability to move better in sedentary jobs, identify the signs of muscle or joint pain, move optimally for the prevention of injuries, and adapt to workouts. Eventually, learning how our body moves through physiotherapy treatment before the symptoms appear is essential to have a better quality of life.

We still need time to realize that it is not essential to go to the physio only when there is pain, but before would be recommended.

2. Is it essential to have lymphedema or lipedema or symptoms of water retention to book a manual lymphatic treatment? Or could it be included as a part of an integrative treatment?

Not at all. It is not essentially necessary to have lymphedema, lipedema, or any vein problem to have a Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD) treatment.

Those are indeed the key pathologies for MLD. But the reality is that a lymphatic drainage treatment can be included in our daily routine therapy with either a curative or a preventive purpose.

We live in a "rush" society, with very high chronic levels of stress, poor sleep, or a lack of optimal levels of physical activity. These factors lead to a chronic systematic inflammation stage, related to digestive disorders, chronic pain, obesity, low energy levels, constant fatigue, cravings, metabolic disorders, weight gain, cravings, and hormonal problems.

Manual lymphatic drainage through manual techniques with a specific direction and pressure helps to regulate the activity of the parasympathetic nervous system. A well-regulated functioning vagus nerve (the nerve that connects the gut-brain axis and which helps in regulating the immune function, inflammation process, normal fluctuation of cortisol levels serotonin, and melatonin levels), is essential to have better management of stress, better sleep, and energy levels.

In short, manual lymphatic drainage can be beneficial for preventive treatment to regulate gut function, immune function, stress levels, and sleep quality.

3. What is integrative physiotherapy, and why is it different from conventional physiotherapy?