Manual Lymphatic Drainage
Improve healing outcomes after surgery or injury, or reduce swelling and pain in any area of the body. A calming, rhythmic technique that moves lymphatic fluid and wastes out of swollen areas, so that your body can heal more efficiently, and you can get back to feeling good and doing what you love. Read more below about how the treatment works, and our prices and package deals.
MLD sessions at Held Bodywork
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Schedule a longer session for a full body treatment or multiple areas of focus.
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Sliding scale rates are:
60 min: $80-$120
75 min: $100-$150
90 min: $120-$180More info below, or book here.
MLD at your home
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What should we know about the services you provide? Better descriptions result in more sales.
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Sliding scale rates for within Durham include travel time:
60 min hands-on: $120-$180
75 min: $150-$225
90 min: $180-$270Rates increase for travel in the Triangle area but outside Durham.
Home visits only available as part of package deals (see below).
Package deals
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These can be combinations of home visits and in-studio sessions, and come with a discount for purchasing multiple sessions in advance.
More info below. -
Buy 6 treatments, get the 7th one free. Savings of $120 - $270.
Buy 3 treatments, get the fourth half off. Savings of $60 - $135.
More info below.
Have questions? Email me at hello@held-bodywork.com, or schedule a free call to determine what you need.
MLD Session at Held Bodywork
Available in 60, 75, 0r 90 minute MLD sessions, at my studio near downtown Durham, NC.
Sliding scale rates* are:
60 min: $80-$120
75 min: $100-$150
90 min: $120-$180
Before the session you’ll have a chance to share your goals and needs, I’ll ask you some questions, and then you’ll fill out an intake form. Then the bodywork session itself will last for the amount of time you are paying for (60, 75 or 90 minutes).
* Sliding scale allows people with lower incomes to access these healing treatments. Please pay higher on the scale if you are able.
MLD home-visit
For post-surgical or post-injury clients in the Triangle area, during the first week of acute recovery, or until your doctor says you can travel to my Durham studio. I charge for travel and treatment time.
Home visits are only available as part of a package.
See packages for rates. Or email me at hello@held-bodywork, or schedule a call to discuss your situation and needs.
Before package discount, a home visit costs $80-$120 per hour for travel and hands-on treatment time.
In Durham, that usually works out to
$120 - $180 for a 60 minute hands-on treatment.
MLD 7-session package: 3 home-visits + 4 sessions at Held Bodywork:
Start treatments as soon as two days after surgery or injury. Prepay (with card or venmo) for six sessions, and get the seventh free. Only available in Durham or Triangle area of NC.
Package rates* are:
In Durham:
7 sessions (including 3 at your home) at 60 min each: $720 (savings of $120)
7 sessions at 75 min each: $$900 (savings of $150)
7 sessions at 90 min each: $1,080 (savings of $180)
In the Triangle, outside of Durham:
Inquire by telling me your location, for adjusted rates to include extra travel time. Email me at hello@held-bodywork.com, or schedule a call.
* Sliding rates available. Sliding scale allows people with lower incomes to access these healing treatments. Please pay higher on the scale if you are able.
Inquire about sliding scale options, by filling out the form at the bottom of this page, or emailing me at hello@held-bodywork.
Unsure if you want a package?
If you won’t need a home visit, you can go ahead and book your first session at my studio. You can decide by the end of the session whether to make that session part of a package.
Or scroll down to the bottom of the page and fill out the form to ask any questions you might have!
MLD package of 7 sessions, at Held Bodywork
Start treatments as soon as two days after surgery or injury, if you are OK to travel. Also a good choice for someone with ongoing lipedema or lymphedema. Prepay (with card or venmo) for six sessions, and get the seventh free. Only available in Durham or Triangle area of NC.
Package rates* are:
7 sessions at 60 min each: $720 (savings of $120)
7 sessions at 75 min each: $900 (savings of $150)
7 sessions at 90 min each: $1,080 (savings of $180)
Email me at hello@held-bodywork.com to book a package, or schedule a call.
* Sliding scale allows people with lower incomes to access these healing treatments. Please pay higher on the scale if you are able.
Inquire about sliding scale options, by filling out the form at the bottom of this page, or emailing me at hello@held-bodywork.
MLD package of 4 sessions, at your home and/or at Held Bodywork
Pay for three sessions in advance, and get the fourth half-off. Savings of $90.*
Email me at hello@held-bodywork.com to inquire or book a package, or schedule a call.
* Sliding scale rates available. Sliding scale allows people with lower incomes to access these healing treatments. Please pay higher on the scale if you are able.
Inquire about sliding scale options, by filling out the form at the bottom of this page, or emailing me at hello@held-bodywork.
Custom packages
Please reach out if you have special circumstances or needs, or want to inquire about other package options. We can also create a special package that involves a combination of MLD and other massage practices, such as deep tissue massage for post-surgical recovery from tight muscles, or scar tissue release as you continue to heal after the initial acute phase.
Book a call to discuss, or scroll down to the bottom of this page and fill out the form to ask any questions you might have!
Do you need Manual Lymphatic Drainage?
Manual Lymphatic Drainage is recommended for the following medical conditions: post-surgery recovery, post-injury or trauma, reducing scarring, post-concussion, lipedema, mastitis or clogged ducts, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, migraine and lymphedema. MLD is also useful for reducing water weight, puffiness, fine lines and wrinkles, reducing the appearance of cellulite, and reducing stress, activating the parasympathetic nervous system (the calming “rest and digest” branch).
What is the lymphatic system?
The lymphatic system is part of the immune system. It keeps body fluid levels in balance and defends the body against infections. Lymphatic vessels, tissues, organs, and glands work together to drain a watery fluid called lymph from throughout the body.
After a trauma or surgery, or when the body is dealing with other inflammation or disease processes, the lymphatic system can become compromised or overwhelmed with trying to clear all the fluid building up in the body. This is where manual lymphatic drainage can help move the fluid faster and improve healing outcomes in a number of important ways. MLD reduces swelling, pain, the development of fibrotic (tough) scar tissue, and the risk of infection.
Using gentle, rhythmic pressure, an MLD therapist directs and moves the lymph along the pathways seen at left. Healthy lymphatic vessels are able to pump the lymph at a rate of one contraction every seven seconds, but with the assistance of manual therapy, the rate can increase to one contraction per second. The lymph can contain cellular debris and waste products, proteins, chemicals and irritants things that need to be moved out of the tissue in order to have the best chances at healing. Reducing swelling also signals to the body that it doesn’t have to lay down as much thick connective tissue to an area, thus reducing scarring.
My training
I am certified to provide Manual Lymphatic Drainage through the Academy of Lymphatic Studies (ACOLS), which involved weeks of home study followed by 40 hours in person taking part in hands on training and additional study and having to pass the certification exam. This training was rigorous and I believe crucial to my being properly prepared to provide the treatments safely and effectively.
I also loved learning about the mechanisms of the lymphatic system itself - the unsung hero of the body’s organ systems, in my opinion. It works so hard around the clock to help your immune system function and to remove wastes and debris from the watery spaces between all the cells of your body. Scientists also discovered in 2017 that the lymphatic system extends into the brain, making MLD a suitable treatment for concussion and other ailments affecting the brain. I have also taken continuing education in lymphatic drainage for breastfeeding people experiencing clogged ducts or mastitis.
I also am a board certified massage therapist and can incorporate my training and continuing education in scar tissue massage and deep tissue massage into your treatments as you progress in your healing.
“I have been spreading the word about how important your treatment was to my recovery process after surgery. It really felt like a crucial part of my healing.”
— S., recent client
