What Is Lymphatic Drainage? - How to Do a Lymphatic Drainage Massage - Prevention Magazine

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Massage therapy has long been a powerful health tool—from stimulating muscles to helping you relax, it’s a hands-on approach that just so happens to feel amazing. One type of massage that is gaining in popularity? Lymphatic drainage massage has become increasingly buzzy over the years for its many health benefits. There are so many things we can do to boost our overall health, and the type of massage is a simple and even relaxing option chock full of pros.
Lymphatic drainage massage is a great way to stimulate the lymphatic system, which is important to overall bodily function as it helps the body process and remove waste products and toxins, according to Paula Stout, P.T., D.P.T., C.L.T.-L.A.N.A. If you’ve ever woken up with swollen lymph nodes, then you’ve experienced your lymphatic system hard at work. But sometimes, it might benefit from a little push.

Basically, the lymphatic system is part of the circulatory and immune systems, according to Stout. It helps remove waste products and toxins from our tissues and return them to the bloodstream. And a lymphatic drainage massage is a common and necessary medical treatment for those with lymphedema, but it can also help boost your immune system, calm skin conditions like acne or eczema, or even reduce symptoms of the common cold, among other possible benefits, according to experts.

Ahead, discover everything you need to know about lymphatic drainage, including how to perform a lymphatic drainage massage at home, its benefits, and potential side effects.

What is a lymphatic drainage massage?​

“Manual lymph drainage,” also known as lymphatic drainage massage, “is a gentle manual treatment technique that improves the activity of the lymph vessels,” explains Stout. The massage technique “reroutes the lymph flow to move the fluid in the appropriate direction,” Stout says.

“The goal is to bring all of this inflammatory fluid full of immune cells and other byproducts (lymph) back into our regular circulation,” says Karan Lal, D.O., M.S., F.A.A.D., double board certified adult pediatric and fellowship-trained cosmetic dermatologist affiliated with Northwell Dermatology in New York. “Then, the lymph nodes can process all of these bacteria and proteins so that we remain healthy.”

According to Stout, lymphatic drainage massage is mainly used for people with lymphedema, which is a condition categorized by an accumulation of protein-rich fluid in the tissues which results in swelling. Lymphedema is usually due to damage to the lymphatic system from lymph node removal and cancer treatments, or a malformation of the lymphatic system.

How to perform a lymphatic drainage massage​

The lymphatic system is located everywhere, as there are lymphatic blood vessels all throughout the body, according to Dr. Lal. So, lymphatic drainage massages can be performed anywhere on the body there is swelling, or all over to promote the flow of lymphatic fluid.

“It’s a very gentle manual technique,” Stout explains. You will want to use light, circular, and sweeping motions which will then stimulate and mobilize the lymph vessels. The lymph vessels and nodes are “very superficial in the skin,” Stout says, which is why only very light pressure is needed.

Next, you’ll want to ensure you are moving your hands in the correct direction. “The key is to make sure you’re moving the lymphatic fluid in the direction of the heart,” Dr. Lal explains. “Because the heart is where all the lymphatic fluid is going to come back to collect and recirculate.” So, if you are performing a lymphatic drainage massage on the neck, where you have a lot of lymph nodes and vessels, you will move downwards. And if you are massaging the leg area, you will move upwards.

Are lymphatic drainage massages safe?​

Lymphatic drainage massages are safe to be performed at home provided there are no underlying health conditions, and the technique is rather simple. However, Dr. Stout warns that if you have lymphedema or another health issue, professional instruction is required before any at-home should massage may be performed.

Benefits of lymphatic drainage massage​

While lymphatic drainage massage is a necessary treatment for those with lymphedema, the technique may have some potential benefits for those who don’t have the condition too.

According to Stout and Dr. Lal, the potential benefits stem from the movement of lymph fluid throughout the body which may help with:

Reduction of swelling​

The primary and most functional benefit of lymphatic drainage massage is the reduction of swelling throughout the body, explain both Stout and Dr. Lal. When lymph fluid is not moving throughout the body properly, it can collect and create swelling, but manual lymph drainage can help correct that.

Immune system stimulation​

Since lymphatic drainage massage works by moving lymph fluid to clear toxins, “that therefore reduces risk of infection and helps stimulate your immune system,” Dr. Stout explains.

Reducing common cold symptoms​

When sick with the common cold or sinus infection, swollen lymph nodes in the neck often accompany the various uncomfortable symptoms. In these cases, lymphatic drainage massage can potentially be beneficial by stimulating lymph vessels to work a bit more quickly, which is important for clearing toxins and speeding up the recovery process, to Dr. Stout says.

Improvement of various skin conditions​

Performing a lymphatic drainage massage around the neck may help treat or improve various skin conditions on the face area. Using a firm but gentle pressure downwards on the neck “is an easy way to bring some lymphatic fluid from your face down into your body so you can get rid of those inflammatory cells,” which then may help with acne, psoriasis, or eczema, explains Dr. Lal.

Temporary facial rejuvenation​

Lymphatic drainage massage also offers some potential aesthetic benefits for the face by reducing facial swelling. Gua sha and using other facial massage tools is a form of lymphatic drainage and offers a temporary lifting and tightening effect, which “is attributed to removing excess fluid,” Dr. Lal explains. “And when you remove that excess fluid, your skin is going to be more taut and tight.”

At-home versus in-office lymphatic drainage massage​

Lymphatic drainage massage is a relatively simple technique to perform at home, but there are some key differences between an at-home experience and a professional lymphatic drainage massage.

“A hands-on treatment by a practitioner is much more thorough and involved versus what you have to do at home,” explains Stout. “If I have someone with lymphedema, I like to spend 45 minutes or an hour doing manual therapy with them, whereas what I teach them to do at home to maintain might take them five to 10 minutes twice a day.”

Dr. Lal also notes that a professional will open up your thoracic outlets—“and when you open up all of your thoracic outlets, you’re gonna get the best response, but you have to be someone trained to do that.” Thoracic outlets, Dr. Lal explains, are located in the neck and shoulder area, the diaphragm, and behind the knees, so these are key areas of focus for professionals when treating a patient with lymphatic techniques to relieve swelling.

Bottom line: If you are looking to benefit from lymphatic drainage massage due to a health concern or condition, or systemic inflammation, you should seek a professional for a full lymphatic treatment or, at the very least, instruction on the best home techniques.

Risks and potential side effects of lymphatic drainage​

While lymphatic drainage massage is generally a very safe and effective technique that is suitable for many individuals, there are some exceptions to who should try it to avoid potential complications

First, Stout warns that those with lymphedema experiencing an infection must avoid lymphatic drainage massage until the infection is under control and they are cleared to do so by their doctor. Additionally, individuals with heart conditions, a history of blood clots, kidney dysfunction, high blood pressure, systemic inflammation, or other serious illnesses should avoid lymphatic drainage massage until contacting their health care provider.

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Shannen Zitz is a Freelance Editorial Assistant at Prevention who recently graduated from the State University of New York at Cortland with an English degree. She loves all things fashion, beauty, and wellness. If she’s not reading or writing, you can probably find her frequenting the skincare and makeup forums on Reddit.