It is no secret that I love lymphatic massage. Not only am I a trained Lymphatic Massage Therapist, but I also use it to improve my own health.

Today I thought I would walk you through a basic overview of how to perform self-lymphatic massage safely. I’ve listed a quick tutorial below that you can follow to enjoy some of the benefits of lymphatic massage from your own home.

What You Should Know About Self Lymphatic Massage

It is important to be aware of the “depth,” direction and rhythm of your lymphatic massage techniques. Your lymph fluid system is located just below your skin, and it moves slowly. Gentle stretches of the skin effectively move the lymph. Unlike traditional massage, pressing into the muscle tissue will only compress your lymphatic vessels and won’t provide the care you’re looking for. Use a gentle touch and listen to your body for the best results.

How to Get Started with Lymphatic Massage

The first step is to begin by opening your lymph system at the neck. I highly encourage you to check out my self-lymphatic neck massage video for a quick, but thorough look at how to do this.

Since you have not had any training with lymphatic massage, I suggest light effleurage and slow small circles. These are the easiest movements to get started. Once you have that rhythm down, the order to follow for your self-lymphatic massage will continue as follows.

Next Steps for Your Self-Lymphatic Massage

Next, you will want to incorporate deep chest and belly breathing into the process.  Try breathing in from your diaphragm and allow that to expand your stomach up into your chest and fully exhale as you continue the massage.

From your neck, you will move to your Axillary lymph nodes. These are located in the armpits and throughout your underarm area. Use the same motion to gently move the lymph.

You can also use the same technique in the upper chest below your clavicle, or collarbone, moving the lymph toward the axillary lymph nodes.

Once you finish there, your next stop can be the inguinal lymph nodes, they are located in your groin. Start in your inner thigh and direct lymph fluid toward the groin area. Depending on how congested your lymphatic system is, you may have to do more movements for a greater amount of time.

You can continue on behind your knees to finish up your self-lymphatic massage.

Benefits of Self-Lymphatic Massage

Most of the body’s lymph nodes are located on the front of the body. This makes them incredibly easy to access to ignite your natural healing process. The benefits of self-lymphatic massage include:

• Smoother, Healthier Skin
• Increased Energy
• Improved Immune System
• Improved Well-Being

I see self-lymphatic massage as a part of self-care. It is a great way to get to know your body more intimately which helps you ward of more serious conditions as you notice symptoms more quickly.

What’s Next?

I truly hope you found these tips and techniques helpful. But if you are not comfortable performing them on yourself, or if you are eager to enjoy a deeper lymphatic massage, then please reach out to me to book an appointment. I would be happy to help!

And before you book your first appointment, be sure to read my post about Common Misconceptions about Lymph Massage.