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"Because accumulated fat in lipedema can put pressure on lymph vessels and interfere with its free flow, swelling and secondary lymphedema can be side effects of lipedema. Therefore, one of the first recommendations of many doctors is to do Manual Lymph Drainage Treatments (MLD).

There is good evidence that treatment with MLD can reduce edema and leg volume, and perhaps also reduce capillary fragility, resulting in less bruising and fluid accumulation. Small, short-term research has also shown improvement in pain levels for some patients.


Pictures often show dramatic differences in leg size before and after MLD in people with lipo-lymphedema. The woman in the picture experienced a loss of 65 lbs. of fluid after only 2 weeks of MLD! That's how bad lipo-lymphedema can be in some cases.

The most important benefit to Manual Lymph Drainage is that it reduces swelling. This keeps lymph flow as efficient as possible, which in turn may help reduce progression of the disease and improve/sustain mobility. However, while short-term research clearly shows MLD is effective, it usually needs other treatments as well to sustain the benefits long-term.

Anecdotally, there are some impressive success stories of how Manual Lymph Drainage can help, especially those with secondary lymphedema. A trained therapist in your area can be found here or here. But the best results of all seem to come from MLD used with compression. Otherwise, all the benefits of the MLD can be quickly lost."

https://wellroundedmama.blogspot.com/2015/07/lipedema-part-5a-traditional-treatment.html.