How to Perform Lymphatic Drainage Massage
Use a light touch., Stretch the skin instead of moving along it., Massage with the normal lymph flow., Use the correct rhythm.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Use a light touch.
When you are doing lymphatic massage, you want to make sure that you don’t press too hard.
The lymphatic vessels are located right under the skin, so if you press too hard, you are going to go deeper than the vessels.
Press down enough so that your fingers are not sliding over your skin, but make sure that you can’t feel anything beneath the skin.You may feel like this is too light, especially if you are used to deeper tissue massages. -
Step 2: Stretch the skin instead of moving along it.
You may be used to giving or receiving massages where you glide along the skin.
A lymphatic massage needs to stimulate the lymphatic vessels, which are elastic and attached to the skin.
You need to lightly stretch your skin to massage them., The direction of your stretch of the skin is important.
You should stretch the skin in the direction that the lymph flows naturally.
You want to help stimulate the natural flow.
If you stretch the skin the wrong way, you are doing nothing.
The lymph flow goes towards your trunk and heart.Make sure to take your fingers off the skin after each stretch.
If you move your fingers back and forth, you are just moving the lymph and not helping to drain it. , As you massage the lymph vessels, you should go slow.
The normal rhythm of their flow is slow, so try to take around three seconds to perform each stretch of the skin.
Release and wait for a few seconds before beginning again. -
Step 3: Massage with the normal lymph flow.
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Step 4: Use the correct rhythm.
Detailed Guide
When you are doing lymphatic massage, you want to make sure that you don’t press too hard.
The lymphatic vessels are located right under the skin, so if you press too hard, you are going to go deeper than the vessels.
Press down enough so that your fingers are not sliding over your skin, but make sure that you can’t feel anything beneath the skin.You may feel like this is too light, especially if you are used to deeper tissue massages.
You may be used to giving or receiving massages where you glide along the skin.
A lymphatic massage needs to stimulate the lymphatic vessels, which are elastic and attached to the skin.
You need to lightly stretch your skin to massage them., The direction of your stretch of the skin is important.
You should stretch the skin in the direction that the lymph flows naturally.
You want to help stimulate the natural flow.
If you stretch the skin the wrong way, you are doing nothing.
The lymph flow goes towards your trunk and heart.Make sure to take your fingers off the skin after each stretch.
If you move your fingers back and forth, you are just moving the lymph and not helping to drain it. , As you massage the lymph vessels, you should go slow.
The normal rhythm of their flow is slow, so try to take around three seconds to perform each stretch of the skin.
Release and wait for a few seconds before beginning again.
About the Author
Gloria Miller
Writer and educator with a focus on practical lifestyle knowledge.
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