It’s no secret that I have been struggling with my hormones for a while now. So when I came across the possible benefits a lymphatic drainage massage can have on your hormone health, I was super intrigued to try it for myself.
But before I go into the details of the massage and what happened to me after, it’s pretty important that you know what your lymphatic system does firstly…
What does the lymphatic system do?
The lymphatic system is made up of lymph vessels, nodes, ducts and lots of other tissues. It’s located under the skin and helps the body get rid of excess bacteria, toxins and fluid. The lymph itself is the extra fluid that moves through the tissues and arteries to help clean them out before draining them through your lymphatic system. Interesting, huh?
What does a lymphatic drainage massage do?
The lymph totally relies on your muscle action to move the fluid around. A lymphatic draining massage works by moving the lymph to the lymph nodes to help eliminate unwanted toxins and bacteria. This is done by using very light pressure and long strokes, both of which encourages the lymph fluid to move while directing the toxins into the organs that can dispose of them correctly.
If you’ve ever heard influencers or wellness guru’s promoting dry brushing online, then its a very similar concept that focuses on the lymphatic system.
The benefits a lymphatic drainage massage can have on your hormones
I have been fully aware that unwanted toxins in the body can have an impact on your hormone health for quite some time now. Since the lymphatic system circulates hormones through your body, its pretty important to keep it moving so that it can flush unwanted/excess toxins and waste. In some cases, the lymphatic system has been known to cause hormonal imbalances due to these excess toxins.
My personal experience
I visited The Recovery Room at the start of September to have my first lymphatic drainage massage. The Recovery Room is located down Osborne Road, Southsea. Parking was pretty easy (and free) and the clinic itself was newly renovated leaving it completely spotless and fresh. In fact, it was so fresh that I couldn’t stop complimenting the team just how lovely the clinic was. It truly was the perfect place to unwind and de-stress for a full hour.
Vikki, my practitioner, was welcoming and easy to talk to. Once I filled in a welcome questionnaire I was taken to my own ‘recovery room’ and undressed to my underwear while Vikki gave me some time to get comfortable for my massage. I loved how everything was clean, something that is really important to me.
Vikki explained to me exactly what would happen during my treatment and how she would perform the drainage massage. I was completely happy with what was to be expected: light pressure and gentle brush strokes.
The massage itself was light, yet still relaxing. In fact, the brush stroke touches from Vikki, starting from the top of my body to the bottom, was unexpectedly relaxing. However, if you’re looking for an intense massage to help soothe achey and tired muscles, then this certainly isn’t the massage for you. But, if you are someone looking to improve blood flow, water retention, hormone health, or perhaps another health issue that this type of massage will benefit, then I would certainly recommend looking into lymphatic drainage massages.
Once my massage had finished, Vikki made me aware that I may experience increased bowel movements (this is because the lymph waste will need to be removed by the body) and fatigue. What I did experience straight away was a slight headache and the sensation of feeling quite light headed. It didn’t alarm me at all, but instead made me feel like the drainage was impacting my body straight away. Overall, I left The Recovery Room feeling relaxed and light.
The real results for me however, would be whether the massage had any visible effects on my hormone health. Could a one hour lymphatic drainage massage really have the power to positively impact my hormones? Well, my friends, it appears the massage could have done just that…
I’m happy to report that for the first time in 6 months, I’ve had one of the best cycles (period) in many years (!!). With a combination of mediation, yoga, deep breathing and of course the lymphatic drainage massage, my hormones for September were visibly a lot better, as well as my stress and anxiety levels.
Would I recommend a lymphatic drainage massage?
Although I feel like I need a few more treatments to fully determine whether ongoing lymphatic drainage massages truly help benefit my hormone health, I really do believe in the benefits of the massage and think that anyone who can benefit from it should go ahead and try it. Taking care of your lymphatic system is one of the most important things you can do for you health, especially when it comes to your hormones.
I will absolutely be returning to The Recovery Room once I’ve finished working with my nutritionist in the next 3 months to keep taking care of my hormone health (another route I’m going down to improve my hormones). I’d love to know if this type of massage would interest you? Let me know below!
Lastly, a big shoutout to Vikki at The Recovery Room for making my treatment not only relaxing, but easy too. If you live near Southsea or the surrounding local area, then definitely check them out for this specialist massage and many others.
Hannah x
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