Loma de Vida Spa & Wellness at La Cantera Resort & Spa Offers Lymphatic Drainage Massage for Breast Cancer Patients
By Jennifer Badger
In recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Loma de Vida Spa & Wellness Center at La Cantera Resort & Spa is highlighting its WINGS Lymphatic Drainage Massage (LDM), specifically designed for those with breast cancer whose lymph nodes have been damaged or removed. During October, a percentage of the cost for each massage will be donated to WINGS, a local nonprofit whose mission is to bridge the gap between diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer, providing comprehensive breast health services to uninsured women in Central and South Texas.
The protocol was created by Ashley Cameron, a licensed Medical Massage Therapist (MMT) and Certified Decongestion Therapist (CDT) at Loma de Vida. She explains that LDM is often misunderstood as a “light touch massage.” Compared to traditional massages, it employs lighter pressure but has a purpose behind it.
Cameron explains that, like the body’s circulatory system, the lymphatic system has its own vast network of pumps in its own vessels, which lie just underneath the skin’s surface. A traditional massage typically goes too deep to benefit the lymphatic system. Lymphatic vessels carry everything from water, cellular waste, and nutrients broken down from ingested food to white blood cells and toxins, collectively called “lymph.”
Lymph nodes are considered dump sites for the lymph, and hundreds of nodes exist throughout the body, including clusters in the armpits, sternum, groin, and gut. The goal of lymphatic drainage is to push the lymphatic fluid in a direction that leads to a dump site. Once the lymph is moved to a dump site, it is collected, filtered, and sent for elimination or reabsorption into the body via the spleen, thymus, and other organs that aid in detoxification.
Patients with breast cancer and other cancers may have lymph nodes removed to prevent the cancer’s spread. Removing those nodes can affect the specific dump site from which they were taken, leading to localized swelling called lymphedema. LDM aims to alleviate that uncomfortable, sometimes painful swelling.
Cameron advises that the lymphatic system releases one and a half liters of fluid from the body daily through sweat and urination – slow processes that occur throughout the day. However, because LDM is considered a decongestant therapy, that process is sped up. “It is like having a stuffy nose, then taking a decongestant, and suddenly you’re blowing your nose every five seconds,” she says. “We’re pushing all that lymph to dump sites, and your body is flushing that one and a half liters at a faster rate than your body is used to.”
As a result, massage recipients should be sure to hydrate sufficiently before getting their massage. Cameron says if their bodies don’t have enough water in their system already, they might start to feel their mouth or skin getting dry even during the massage. Cameron recommends drinking half your body weight in ounces daily, especially before LDM.
Besides the lighter touch, Cameron says the difference between LDM and traditional massage is the detailed intake before administering the service. “The first things we ask are which lymph nodes were removed and which are impaired. From there, we get into more detailed information, can start to look at the body as a map and direct lymph flow to the healthy areas.”
Anne Melby, director of spa and recreation at Loma de Vida, emphasizes, “Adequately trained massage therapists understand the higher level of accountability that comes with understanding the body and its triggers, especially for those who have had a port or lymph nodes removed. Six of the 40 massage therapists employed at Loma de Vida have advanced training in correctly performing the WINGS Lymphatic Drainage Massage.”
While the WINGS LDM was created specifically for breast cancer patients, Melby says other persons who have dealt with cancer and have been cleared by their doctor can benefit from the service, as well as those who have uncomfortable swelling for other reasons. “A lot of people just have problems with lymphatic flow, and they are retaining fluids. Even bloating indicates a body in distress and a lymphatic system that might need some assistance,” she says. “One of the most enjoyable ways to get your whole body to work more efficiently for you, is to have LDM.”
The WINGS LDM is being highlighted during October when 10 percent of the cost goes back to WINGS, but it is available year-round upon request at Loma de Vida for $205. A typical lymphatic drainage massage at Loma de Vida takes approximately 60 minutes.
“We’re here to help take care of people across the board, including those with medical challenges,” says Melby. “And we will support them in this beautiful, comforting space.”
Reservations are available online at
lacanteraresort.com/ or call (855) 499.2960.
Photos courtesy of La Cantera Resort & Spa.
