There is real confusion appearing on- line as to the difference of Manual Lymphatic Drainage MLD, and the squeezing of fluid (milking) through open incisions. The message from me is, please do not perform any milking strokes and let your incisions naturally heal and close.
These strokes are usually performed by a qualified nurse practitioner and form part of wound care and performed in a controlled environment.
This stroke really should be discontinued after a period of 24 hours and clients are then in a process of inflammation and natural wound healing.
Not only can reopening incisions lead to infection, but this aggressive stroking will also lead to fibrosis and that is bad news.
Ideal timescale to see a MLD practitioner if around 48 hours after surgery or when is deemed practical, considering the patient’s own wellness and route to clinic.
Manual lymphatic drainage uses gentle rhythmic strokes in sequence to stimulate the body’s lymphatic secondary circulatory system to remove lymphatic fluid through urination.
Any aggressive technique is likely to increase the body’s inflammatory response and slow down or hinder any recovery post-surgery. Moreover, this could potentially lead to uneven results from your surgery and bring on further complications.