What is lymphedema? Imagine your arm or leg like a water balloon!  You now have a good idea what lymphedema is, with the main cause being the result of treating cancers involving node dissections and radiation therapy. Other factors such as breast cancer, venous insufficiency, genetic defect, prostate cancer, cosmetic surgery, abdominal cancer, cervical cancer, etc. may be causes of lymphedema. Treating lymphedema is the primary purpose of the therapists who belong to NAVALTŪ (North American Vodder Association of Lymphatic Therapy), although there are numerous applications for this type of therapy. This professional non-profit association is formed with a common ideal to promote the acceptance of Manual Lymph Drainage (MLD?) throughout North America and is limited to Manual Lymph Drainage according to the original method developed by Emil and Estrid Vodder.

Doctors Emil and Estrid Vodder were a husband and wife team working on the French Riviera treating patients with chronic colds. They noticed these patients had swollen lymph nodes.  In the 1930s it was taboo to tamper with the lymphatic system due to the medical profession's poor understanding of this system of the body. The Vodders were not deterred by this and in 1932 began to study the lymph system and developed careful hand movements to cause lymph movement. In 1936 after four years of research they introduced this technique to the world in Paris, France. They spent the rest of their lives demonstrating and teaching this method. This careful hand movement that stretches and twists the skin to move the lymph is taught in its unaltered form today and sets the gold standard for Manual Lymph Drainage.