The vessels of the lymphatic system spread through all parts of the body (see image to the right), similar to blood circulation in the arteries and veins, and carries colorless liquid called lymph. Hundreds of small kidney-shaped organs, called lymph nodes, carry lymph fluid, nutrients, and waste material between the body tissue and the bloodstream. While the lymph nodes act as a filter of debris, they also contain specialized white blood cells called lymphocytes that destroy harmful bacteria and viruses. This filtering process helps the body to fight infection.
The body works to fight disease in several ways:
- The body temperature begins to rise out of its normal range – speeding up the body's response to fight infection
- and the inflammatory process is initiated – allowing increased blood flow to battle the infection
These are just some of the ways that the lymphatic system works at maintaining homeostasis of the body. That's why optimum flow of the lymphatic system is crucial to our health. Since the lymphatic system has no pump of its own, external forces are essential in helping to pump the fluid throughout the body.
Three ways to help activate the lymphatic system are:
- Deep breathing
- Rebounding (trampoline)
- Lymphatic drainage massage
Keeping the lymph fluid free-flowing in the axillary (underarm) lymph vessels is crucial in maintaining good breast health. Breast thermography (thermal imaging) provides evaluation of the axillary lymph system in addition to the breast and upper chest.
Thermography measures the heat being emitted from the body's surface showing temperature increases when there is congestion or inflammation. These temperature differentials provide a glance into the body's physiology, suggesting that lymphatic activity needs to be increased or that, hopefully, it is functioning as it should. Monitoring lymphatic system functioning with this radiation free health screening provides important information that can help your body function at maximum ability.
Thermography Center of Memphis
memphisthermography.com
901-249-8642