If you want or need to have a lymphatic massage, you can see a massage therapist who is trained specifically in lymphatic massage, a general massage therapist who knows the technique, or do the massage yourself. It may be cheaper to do things yourself, but it's better to have the specially trained therapist do the massages, at least to begin with. A therapist who is familiar with the treatment but not trained in it specifically may accidentally change some of the procedures if they're used to using other massage therapies, and you may not have enough knowledge of what is normal during the massage process to protect yourself from injury. A specially trained therapist, though, will know what to look for and what's really needed for the procedure.

Confirming if Any Discomfort Is Normal or Pain That Requires Care 

Lymphatic massage shouldn't hurt, but of course, if you're sore from exercise or another treatment, for example, you could feel a bit of discomfort. But how much is not that easy to determine, and if you attempt to give yourself a lymphatic massage, you could brush off the pain as just one of those things that your health condition is making you feel. Yet it could be that you're actually aggravating an old injury or on the verge of causing a new one. Going to a massage therapist trained specifically in lymphatic massage ensures there's a person there who understands where the line between a little discomfort and bad discomfort really is.

Too Much or Too Little Pressure

For lymphatic massage to work, the amount of pressure you apply with your hands is critical. It has to be just right, where you are pressing down enough so that you're not just lightly caressing the person's skin, but also where you are touching lightly enough so that you don't feel lumps, bones, joints, or anything else. That can be difficult for someone to master quickly, so doing the lymphatic massage yourself when you're new to it might be confusing. And a therapist who is used to doing other types of massages may press too hard.

Knowledge of When Not to Do a Massage

Sometimes you don't want a lymphatic massage done. There are certain health conditions where the procedure would do more harm than good. A massage therapist trained in lymphatic massage will know these conditions inside and out and know to reschedule instead of trying to do the massage despite the health condition. You may not have learned the entire list; you can find example conditions online, of course, but you may have a condition for which lymphatic massage's effects are not easy to find online.

Contact a service provider to learn more about lymphatic drainage massage.