{"id":170182,"date":"2021-06-14T02:00:41","date_gmt":"2021-06-14T09:00:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fabfitfun.com\/magazine\/?p=170182"},"modified":"2021-06-10T11:02:49","modified_gmt":"2021-06-10T18:02:49","slug":"lymphatic-drainage-massages","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fabfitfun.com\/magazine\/lymphatic-drainage-massages\/","title":{"rendered":"What to Know About Lymphatic Drainage Massages"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019ve been to the spa lately, you might\u2019ve seen lymphatic drainage massages on their menu of services. This kind of massage aims to drain your lymphatic system \u2014 the network of tissues and organs that get rid of toxins and waste. Is this claim scientifically accurate, though, or just a way to sell massages? And should you get one?<\/span><\/p>\n

What it claims to do<\/b><\/p>\n

\u201cDue to flushing the lymphatic system of toxins, lymphatic drainage speeds up the body\u2019s natural lymphatic system, which is what is responsible for ridding toxins, infections, viruses, and bacteria from the body,\u201d explains Mia Shaughnessy, massage therapist and founder\/CEO of <\/span>Balance and Composure Massage<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

“Lymphatic drainage massage can help those who are experiencing swelling in their arms or legs or those who have had mastectomies, liposuction, major surgeries, or Brazilian butt lift procedures,” says Shaughnessy. \u201cClients who have received lymphatic drainage on their face have had reports of reduced swelling and puffiness under the chin and under the eyes as well as decreased dark circles under eyes,\u201d she adds. Others will use it just for general detoxing, says massage therapist <\/span>Alison Angold<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Does it work?<\/b><\/p>\n

“There is science behind the concept of a lymphatic drainage massage,” says Chris Airey, MD, medical director at <\/span>Optimale<\/span><\/a> and a practicing physician with the NHS. \u201cSome health conditions can cause the buildup of lymph fluid in a certain area, preventing the lymph from clearing waste and toxins,\u201d he says. \u201cA lymphatic drainage massage may be helpful to improve lymphatic circulation. People experiencing fatigue, insomnia, migraines, swelling, or digestive issues may also have lymphatic system blockages.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

One <\/span>review<\/span><\/a> published in <\/span>Manual Therapy <\/span><\/i>found that lymphatic drainage massage reduced stiffness and depression and improved quality of life in people with fibromyalgia. Another <\/span>review<\/span><\/a> found that lymphatic drainage massage may help reduce lymphedema (swelling in arms or legs), but this effect may not be permanent. So, in short, the jury is still out on how effective lymphatic drainage massage is.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What to expect\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

A lymphatic drainage massage is a very gentle massage, explains Shaughnessy. \u201cThe lymphatic system is located underneath the first layer of skin,\u201d she says. \u201cIt is superficial, which means that when the practitioner is working on the client, the pressure must be no more than the weight of a nickel.\u201d Before the massage, the massage therapist will have a conversation with you about any issues you\u2019re dealing with \u2014 be wary of any masseuse who doesn\u2019t.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf you know you are relatively unhealthy, then you may feel worse before you feel better after the massage,\u201d says Angold. \u201cThis is called a healing crisis and means that because the waste and toxins in your body have been shifted around, you may feel a little unwell directly after the treatment. This can be normal and should not put you off having another treatment. Make sure you drink plenty of water and rest, follow a healthier diet and lifestyle, and continue to have the massages.”<\/span><\/p>\n

As always, consult your doctor with any questions before trying this procedure.<\/p>\n

xx, The FabFitFun Team<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":"If you\u2019ve been to the spa lately, you might\u2019ve seen lymphatic drainage massages on their ...","author":7532795,"featured_media":170211,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[4,5],"tags":[],"thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/static.fabfitfun.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/10110224\/lymphatic-drainage.jpg","thumbnail_url_middle_card":"https:\/\/static.fabfitfun.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/10110224\/lymphatic-drainage-386x200.jpg","formated_date":"June 14, 2021","category_name":"Wellness","category_icon":"https:\/\/d3vodd1ws13xud.cloudfront.net\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/10113835\/health-2.svg","author_name":"Suzannah Weiss","trending":false,"sponsored":false,"random_color":"#7afc53","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fabfitfun.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/170182"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fabfitfun.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fabfitfun.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fabfitfun.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7532795"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fabfitfun.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=170182"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/fabfitfun.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/170182\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fabfitfun.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/170211"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fabfitfun.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=170182"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fabfitfun.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=170182"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fabfitfun.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=170182"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}