The human lymphatic system

The human lymphatic system

The human lymphatic system - what is it for??

The lymphatic system is well known to the medical layman mainly by the swollen, painful lymph nodes, which in the context of inflammations, e.g. in the neck, armpits, popliteal, or groin areas. The nodes are connected by the lymphatic vessels, which run parallel to the blood vessels. Spleen and thymus are also part of this organ system. Both primary and secondary, for example in the context of operations such as breast cancer, problems with the lymphatic system appear. The history of discovery and exploration of this system also exemplifies the history of scientification in medicine. While in conventional medicine disorders often react with surgical measures (removal of lymph nodes or spleen), the lymphatic system should be relieved and supported in naturopathic practice.

Structure and function of the lymphatic system

The lymphatic system consists of its own specially composed fluid, the ducts, the lymph nodes, the spleen and the thymus.

1. Lymphatic fluid and „latex“ (Chyle)
The lymphatic fluid is a watery-light yellow fluid. It consists of fluid with substances that have not been absorbed from the tissue back into the venous pathways (about 10 percent of the tissue fluid), which also includes proteins and fats from the digestive system, foreign bodies, pathogens and blood that has clotted after a tissue injury , After ingesting high-fat foods, the lymph may look quite milky-this is called chyle. It is characteristic of the lymphatic system that it begins blindly in the periphery - so one always has an influence on the lymphatic system when treating the interstitium (tissue lying between the organs).

2. The lymphatic vessels
The lymphatic system begins „blind“ In the tissue and runs parallel to the venous system for the drainage in our body, by returning its lymphatic fluid back into our bloodstream. Along with our blood circulation, it is the most important transport system for nutrients and waste with its pathways. Topographically speaking, the superficial, the deep and the system of the organlymphic vessels are connected with each other and the deeper the lymphatic vessels are in our body, the bigger they become. This system leads its fluid into the venous angle via the lymph nodes, which are like control points: „Internal jugular vein“ (Internal jugular vein) and into the subclavian vein. This means that the lymph flows from the right arm, right half of the head, the right part of the lung and the mediastinum right into the right vein angle and the rest (both the left side of the above mentioned regions) and from the legs and belly into the left vein angle.

3. The lymph nodes
The lymph nodes (we have probably 50-100 in our organism) are a filter and examination station for the body-damaging substances for the lymph. Except in the central nervous system there are lymph nodes everywhere in our body. Among other things, the purpose of lymph node collections (popliteal / underarm / neck / groin) is that the toxins and foreign substances in our organism can not advance further and vital organs such. the brain thus protected. Penetrating fluid is led into the outer area of ​​the lymph node and from there slowly into the interior. Inside a lymph node are clustered lymphocytes and so-called phagocytes. Among other things, they stimulate the proliferation of lymphocytes, which can be felt well on the lymph nodes from the outside, since this can lead to swelling of a lymph node. The specially formed lymphocytes then spread throughout the affected organism to fight the foreign substances.

4. The spleen - a superfluous organ?
The only lymphatic organ that is trapped in the bloodstream is the spleen in the left upper abdomen. Vorgeburtlich there, the blood formation takes place. Later, it is used for the degradation of old blood cells, the storage of platelets (platelets), the breakdown of coagulation products, and the production of blood components that serve the immune system. Because other organs in adulthood can take on these tasks, the spleen is considered to be of secondary importance in school science medicine, although coagulation disorders and increasing susceptibility to infection can often be observed after surgical removal.

5. The thymus classroom for young defense cells
The thymus is located in the anterior chest above the pericardium. He matures fully until puberty and then forms back again. Because the imprinting of important defense cells takes place there, the thymus is also called a school of immune cells. In addition, he should form as a glandular organ hormones that are useful for the immune system. Nevertheless, the thymus is given little attention in conventional therapy.

The history of the discovery of the lymphatic system
Hippocrates was the first to include the lymphatic system, or lymph node collections, in his work „About lowering of the joints“ mentioned in the 5th century. Gaspare Asselli (1581-1626), an Italian surgeon and anatomist first described this system in 1622. He discovered it on preparations of dogs and called the lymphatic ducts as milk vessels, probably because of the color of the lymphatic fluid.

At the beginning of the 17th century, the centuries-old statements of Clarissimus Galenus (about 129-216), including Galenios or Galenos of Pergamonwhich were a mixture of his anatomical findings of animal carcasses and interpretations of functions of our organism, with some considerable resistance, discarded. His view of a dynamic balance of our organism and the combination of philosophical and material principles was rejected because of its erroneous anatomical and physiological foundations.

William Harvey (1578-1657), an English physician and anatomist, gave the first description of the blood vessel system in his work in 1628 „Anatomical studies on the movement of the heart and the blood“ from. His colleague, the Italian anatomist Marcellus Malpighias, was later able to demonstrate by means of microsocopic studies how arterial blood enters the venous part via the capillaries. These two were the first to advocate a conception of the doctrine of juices that was different from Von Galen's and generally accepted.

„When Harvey solved the circulation of the blood, he only reached the banks of the river of life.“ Arthur Taylor Still, founder of osteopathy

Johannes Wesling (Johann Vesling, Veslingius) (1598-1649), a German physician, professor of anatomy and surgery, discovered and sketched parts of the (still at that time „milk veins“ called) lymphatic system.

The French anatomist Jean Pecquet (1622-1674) discovered in 1651 on the basis of the preparation of a dog, the Cisterna Chyli, the mammary duct and the connection to the venous system. In 1652, the Swede Olof Rudbeck (1630-1708) was the first to describe the lymphatic system, in which he discovered it as a separate organ system.

Diseases and disorders Lymphatic system

Diseases of the lymphatic system can be both benign and malignant. Benign diseases, which are also well accessible to naturopathic procedures, include e.g. the tonsillitis, in which the palatine tonsils are acutely inflamed. If the drainage of the lymphatic fluid is disturbed, it can lead to a jam. Then there is swelling in the affected region (often the legs) by the fluid accumulation - the so-called lymphedema. The congestion may be due to removal of lymph nodes (e.g., as part of a thoracic operation), worm diseases in tropical countries, or other conditions, e.g. the leukemiabe caused. Both lymphatic vessels and lymph nodes can become inflamed - mostly bacteria are responsible. This is called lymphangitis or lymphadenitis.

Serious diseases of the lymphatic system are the malignant (malignant) lymphomas. These include Hodgkin's disease, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and, as special forms, plasmocytoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Spleen disease is said to be the splenic rupture (splenic rupture) caused by a blunt external trauma, e.g. through falls, kicks, punches. This can cause symptoms only after hours, days or weeks, which sometimes makes the diagnosis very difficult. Part 2: The Lymphatic System in Naturopathic Practice (Thorsten Fischer, Naturopath & Jeanette Viñals Stein, Naturopath, 28.12.2009)