How often should you have lymphatic drainage massage

How to determine the frequency of lymphatic drainage?

Lymphatic drainage massage can benefit your health care routine, but how often should you schedule a session? The answer depends on your specific needs and health condition. Read the article below to learn more about specific cases.

I. What is Lymphatic Drainage Massage?

Lymphatic drainage massage has become a popular form of massage due to its potential health benefits. It is a gentle form of massage that focuses on the circulatory system, a part of the immune system. Your circulatory system includes organs, vessels, and tissues that move or circulate a fluid called lymph from other parts of the body into the blood.

Lymphatic drainage massage can be particularly beneficial if you have lymphedema, a condition that occurs when lymph fluid doesn't return to the blood as it should and builds up in other parts of the body.

Stimulating the circulatory system enhances metabolism, strengthens the immune system, and helps the body eliminate toxins.

Lymphatic drainage massage

II. How Often should You Get a Lymphatic Drainage Massage?

The frequency of lymphatic circulation massage depends on your health condition (diet, exercise regimen, etc.). Here are some common reasons for lymphatic circulation massage and specific timelines.

1. Healthy Individuals Incorporating a Healthy Lifestyle

For those looking to enhance their overall health by adopting an already healthy lifestyle - meaning a good diet without junk food and regular light to moderate exercise, a one-hour massage session once a month is ideal.

2. Individuals Improving Health through Exercise and Diet

For individuals following a diet for weight loss or detoxification, a single session every one or two weeks over several months is generally beneficial to facilitate the removal of waste from the body. Once your weight stabilizes and you feel better, feel free to return for monthly treatments (unless you prefer to come more often).

How often should you have lymphatic drainage massage to improve health?

3. Individuals experiencing high levels of stress

High-stress levels lead to high cortisol levels, impacting lymphatic circulation and overall lymphatic health. The frequency of lymphatic circulation massage may vary depending on your stress level. If you find yourself under high stress and in need of therapy to help you relax while promoting lymphatic circulation, a lymphatic massage every few weeks seems to be effective.

4. Lymphatic Massage After Cancer

If you are currently or have previously battled cancer, the need for lymphatic treatment can vary significantly. Some individuals may simply want to facilitate lymphatic movement to eliminate remaining chemotherapy residue (after it has had sufficient time to take effect - consult with your doctor), while others may develop a condition of permanent swelling known as lymphedema.

5. For Those Undergoing/Post Chemotherapy

For individuals undergoing frequent chemotherapy and unable to receive specific guidance from their doctor, we often advise waiting until close to the next infusion for the chemotherapy to do its work. Many people have infusions weekly, bi-weekly, or tri-weekly. For infusions a week apart, lymphatic massage may be done 2 days before the next treatment. For infusions two weeks apart, it may be done a week and a half before. For infusions three weeks apart, it may be done on the first of the third week (one week before the next infusion).

For individuals who have completed their chemotherapy, following your final infusion, you can follow the instructions above for your first session. After that, you can choose to come in regularly if desired – perhaps weekly until you feel better.

How often should you have a lymphatic drainage massage undergoing or post-chemotherapy?

6. After Surgery/Lymph Node Removal

Following surgery for cancer removal, you may experience extensive swelling – as with any surgical procedure. If lymph nodes have been removed, the body may have difficulty reducing swelling. Engaging in lymphatic treatment can be highly beneficial in helping you feel more comfortable in the days immediately following surgery.

You may want to come in 2-3 times a week for several weeks, then gradually reduce to 1-2 times a week for about 8 weeks. The reason for this is that we aim to reduce the swelling as effectively as possible and maintain it throughout the recovery process. The removal of lymph nodes can lead to a permanent condition called lymphedema, and our goal is to minimize post-surgical swelling.

It may take more than 2 months to determine whether your post-surgical swelling is more than just surgical swelling (i.e., lymphedema). Sometimes it can take many years to manifest – if it does. The more lymph nodes are removed, radiated, or affected by chemotherapy, the higher the risk of lymphedema.

It's important to remember that lymphedema (when lymph nodes have been damaged or removed) is more likely to occur with trauma in that area. This could be from lifting (which you often shouldn't do), a scratched infection or other situations causing inflammation (like sauna, hot tub, or tattoo). Similarly, the initial cancer surgery is considered a trauma-causing inflammation. This is why addressing this swelling as early as possible after surgery is crucial.

How often should you have lymphatic drainage massage after surgery/lymph node removal? \

How often should you have lymphatic drainage massage after surgery/lymph node removal?

7. Lymphedema Therapy

For those diagnosed with lymphedema, daily management with compression garments (sleeves or stockings) is essential. Some individuals may even have a pneumatic compression pump at home such as LymphaPress or Flexitouch to aid in management.

Even with good self-management, manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) is still necessary to help control lymphedema. While compression pumps are useful and encouraged, they do not work as effectively as the hands of a lymphedema therapist, who can sense areas of blockage that require extra care.

It's not uncommon for individuals with lymphedema to seek treatment on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. Since this is a lifelong condition, the frequency of treatment tends to increase over time. To reduce the cost of massages, the better you are with at-home management, the less frequent the need for massage."

III. Some Considerations Before Getting a Lymphatic Massage

Professional Expertise of the Massage Therapist - Before getting a lymphatic massage, it's crucial to ensure that the massage therapist is properly trained and experienced in this therapy. Look for a licensed and certified lymphatic massage therapist, with a proven track record of working with clients with similar medical conditions.

Your Medical History - Before the massage, be sure to inform your massage therapist about any medical conditions or medications you are currently using. This will help them tailor the massage to your specific needs and avoid any potential risks or complications.

Allergies or Sensitivities - If you have a history of allergies or sensitivities to certain substances, be sure to inform your massage therapist before the session. This will help them avoid any oils or lotions that may cause an allergic reaction.

Some considerations before getting a lymphatic drainage massage

IV. The Benefits of Lymphatic Massage

There are numerous benefits to consider when exploring our lymphatic treatment methods. When the lymphatic system is congested, it can lead to a variety of health issues. The cells in our bodies rely on lymph fluid, which is rich in white blood cells to fight off disease, transport substances, communicate with other cells, and aid them in their primary functions.

Through our distinctive Brazilian-style lymphatic massage technique, we manually kickstart this process. This helps reduce water retention, alleviate inflammation, promote hormonal balance, enhance digestion, speed up healing and recovery after surgery, support muscle recovery, boost immune function, improve blood circulation, detoxify the body, and much more!

V. How long do the results of lymphatic drainage massage last?

Most clients experience the physical effects of our lymphatic drainage massage for up to 6 hours. Long-term results will improve with each treatment, and you will begin to look and feel noticeably better for up to a month after each session. Because each individual's lymphatic system responds differently based on their diet, exercise frequency, and overall health, we tailor the treatment plan to each client. We advise you to maintain a healthy lifestyle, stay hydrated, exercise regularly, and care for your gut health to avoid fluid buildup.

VI. Who is not eligible for lymphatic drainage massage?

We cannot perform lymphatic treatment on anyone with a blood clot or DVT. If you are currently undergoing chemotherapy for cancer, we cannot provide massage, but for clients in remission, and with the doctor's approval, we can proceed with lymphatic treatment. Some conditions will require a doctor's referral, such as edema due to kidney failure, heart failure, or liver disease.

VII. What should I do after a lymphatic massage?

We recommend resting, engaging in light exercise, drinking 2-4 glasses of water, and eating a full meal. Avoid caffeine, alcoholic beverages, and heavy meals for the next 3-6 hours. If you include infrared sauna therapy, please avoid sun exposure for six hours after use because the products remain effective."

VIII. Conclusion

This article has highlighted specific scenarios that can determine the frequency of your lymphatic drainage massage. In summary, this will depend on your health condition, needs, and budget.

Herbal Spa does not currently offer massages for lymphatic drainage. You can select the best treatment from our most popular treatments, such as four-hand massage, traditional Vietnamese massage, Shiatsu massage, etc., if you'd like to try out additional therapeutic and soothing massage services.

If you happen to visit Da Nang, Vietnam, and desire any form of therapeutic massage, you can visit our Herbal Spa for the most effective relaxation and therapy experiences. Our team of licensed and certified massage therapists is trained in various massage techniques and can help you achieve your healthcare goals safely and effectively.