Pressotherapy is a lymphatic drainage with a device that looks like big boots that cover the entire leg, abdomen and arms. In this equipment the air fills these 'boots' which presses the legs and abdomen in a rhythmic way, which allows mobilizing the lymph, deflating the region.
However, when comparing manual lymphatic drainage with pressotherapy, manual lymphatic drainage has been shown to be more efficient than the pressotherapy device.
What is it for and how to do it
Pressotherapy is an excellent treatment to eliminate excess fluids from the body, being particularly useful for:
- After a plastic surgery or an aesthetic treatment such as lipocavitation; To combat cellulite; To deflate the abdominal region, and although it does not remove the fat, it helps to decrease the measures and therefore 'slim down'; Lymphedema in the arm after the removal of the breast; For those who have vascular spiders, small to medium-sized varicose veins, or suffer from fluid retention and have swollen legs with a feeling of heaviness and pain; In case of chronic venous insufficiency, where symptoms such as swelling, skin darkening or eczema, which cause pain, fatigue and a feeling of heaviness in the legs; During pregnancy because it completely eliminates swollen legs and feet, promoting the health and well-being of the pregnant woman, but should not be used on the belly so as not to cause discomfort.
Each session lasts 30 to 40 minutes and can be performed daily, if necessary. To improve the efficiency of the treatment, a pillow can be placed under the person's legs, so that they are higher than the heart, which also facilitates the venous return.
This treatment can be performed in aesthetics or physiotherapy clinics, but there are equipment that can be used at home.
Advantages and disadvantages
The main difference of pressotherapy in relation to manual lymphatic drainage is that the equipment always puts the same pressure on the body, and therefore, although it helps, manual lymphatic drainage can be more efficient because the body is worked by parts and the therapist you can stay longer in an area that needs more. In addition, in manual drainage, all liquid is directed through sessions, whereas in pressotherapy, pneumatic pressure occurs over the entire limb at once.
Thus, for pressotherapy to have better results, it is necessary to do about 10 minutes of manual lymphatic drainage near the neck and in the lymph nodes of the knees and groin, so that the procedure is performed more efficiently. If this care is not taken, the effectiveness of the pressotherapy is reduced.
With this it can be concluded that doing pressotherapy alone is not as efficient as doing a manual lymphatic drainage session, but that by performing at least the emptying of the lymph nodes manually before starting the pressotherapy, already increases its effectiveness.
When it shouldn't be done
Mechanical lymphatic drainage is contraindicated in case of:
- Fever, infection or sore in the area to be treated; Large-caliber varicose veins; Cardiac disorders such as heart failure or arrhythmia; Tingling sensation in the treated areas; Deep venous thrombosis that manifests with intense pain in the calf; On the belly during pregnancy; Cancer and its complications, such as lymphedema (but lymphatic drainage may be allowed); People who use a cardiac pacemaker; Lymph node infection; Erysipelas; Fracture not yet consolidated at the site to be treated.
In these cases, pressotherapy could be harmful to health, therefore it is contraindicated.
