Pressotherapy: what it is, what it is for and advantages

Pressotherapy is a type of mechanical lymphatic drainage indicated in cases of fluid retention, cellulite, lymphedema or chronic venous insufficiency, for example, as it eliminates toxins and improves blood circulation and tissue oxygenation.

This type of therapy is carried out using an air compression device to inflate and deflate in a controlled and rhythmic manner the chambers that cover the entire leg, abdomen and arms, which allows the lymph to be mobilized, deflating the region.

Pressotherapy must be carried out by trained professionals, in aesthetic or physiotherapy clinics, and despite being a safe procedure with several advantages, it is not recommended for people who have an active infection in the place where the drainage will be performed or by people who have deep vein thrombosis.

What is it for

Pressotherapy has several health benefits, which is why it is recommended for:

• Eliminate excess fluids from the body;
• Remove toxins from the body;
• Reduce swelling and fluid retention;
• Fight cellulite;
• Reduce inflammation and muscle pain;
• Treating lymphedema in the arm after breast removal;
• Reduce the feeling of heaviness or tiredness in the legs, in cases of chronic venous insufficiency, vascular spiders or small to medium-sized varicose veins;
• Strengthen the immune system.

Furthermore, by promoting the elimination of liquids and toxins and reducing swelling, pressotherapy can also be done after plastic surgery or aesthetic treatment such as lipocavitation, for example.

To emagrece pressotherapy?

Although it does not remove fat, pressotherapy helps to reduce swelling in the abdominal region, arms and legs, which can lead to a feeling of weight loss.

How it is made

Pressotherapy is carried out by a physiotherapist or a professional beautician experienced in this type of treatment, in specialized aesthetic or physiotherapy clinics.

To perform pressotherapy, the therapist must follow some steps:

1. Ask the person to lie down on the stretcher. It is not necessary to remove clothes;
2. Putting the cameras on the legswhich look like boots, or the abdomen and/or arms, which varies depending on the region being treated;
3. A pillow can be placed under the person’s legsso that they are higher than the heart, which also facilitates venous return.
4. Turn on the compression machinewhich is connected to the chambers in the body through tubes, through which air will enter and exit;
5. Keep the machine turned on for around 30 to 40 minutes, which is the time of each session.

Pressotherapy does not cause pain, however, during the session, the person may feel the chambers on the body inflate, filling with air, which can give a sensation of pressure or tightness in the treated area.

Advantages and disadvantages

Pressotherapy has the advantage of the equipment always applying the same pressure to the body, being controlled by the compression machine. However, in relation to manual lymphatic drainage, pressotherapy does not allow working on the body in parts, in addition to not allowing the therapist to remain longer in an area that needs it most.

Furthermore, in manual drainage all liquid is directed in sessions, while in pressotherapy pneumatic pressure occurs over the entire limb at once.

Therefore, for pressotherapy to have better results, it is necessary to perform around 10 minutes of manual lymphatic drainage near the neck and in the lymph nodes of the knees and groin, so that the procedure is carried out more efficiently. If this care is not taken, the effectiveness of pressotherapy will be reduced.

Therefore, the disadvantage of pressotherapy is that it is not as efficient as performing a manual lymphatic drainage session, but by at least emptying the lymph nodes manually before starting pressotherapy, it already increases its effectiveness.

When it should not be performed

Despite being considered a safe procedure for adults, pressotherapy is not recommended in some situations, such as:

• Fever;
• Infection or wound in the area to be treated;
• Large varicose veins;
• Tingling sensation in the treated areas;
• Deep vein thrombosis;
• People who use a cardiac pacemaker;
• Lymph node infection;
• Erysipelas;
• Osteoporosis or fracture that has not yet healed in the area to be treated.

In these cases, pressotherapy could be harmful to health and is therefore contraindicated.

Furthermore, during pregnancy, after surgical procedures or in cases of heart problems, such as heart failure or arrhythmia, or diabetes, pressotherapy should be done with caution and only if recommended by the doctor.