Our Favorite Home Tools and Tips to Keep Your Lymph Moving - Your Self Care Guide for Confident Lymphatic Health!
- Dani Allen
- Mar 27
- 7 min read
Keeping your lymphatic system healthy and moving is essential for your overall wellness. It works tirelessly to detoxify, balance fluids, and boost your immune system - all really important to keeping you feeling good. At Lymph Laugh Love we know that home care can be both a major part of the equation for your lymphatic journey and necessary if consistent manual lymphatic drainage massages are not in the budget. Below is our favorite home care items for your lymphatic wellness.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this post is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with your doctor or a qualified healthcare provider before starting any new self-care practice, especially if you have a medical condition, are post-surgical, or are managing chronic illness. Everyone’s body is different—what works for one person may not be appropriate for another.
1. The Power of Vibration Boards
Vibration is our favorite tool to stimulate lymphatic drainage. Originally developed by NASA, vibration mimics the natural movements of walking to get your lymph moving. There are a ton of options for vibration boards or plates on the market, many much more powerful than you need. Read more details on vibration, how it works and the best type of vibration here.
If you are looking for a reasonably priced vibration board, we love the Waver line by Lifepro. This link will get you 10% off and they consistently have pretty amazing sales (our advice - don't buy it full price).
2. Compression Garments
Compression is basically the gold standard for anyone with lymphatic issues or recovering from surgery. These products apply gentle, consistent pressure, which can help reduce swelling and enhance lymph drainage. While we love compression socks, there are so many awesome options for anywhere on your body depending on your needs and health issues. Making sure you are getting good quality compression makes a difference, which is why we love buying from medical grade companies. Many make products meant for folks who just want a little lymphatic help. Our biggest advice is measure twice before ordering. Medical grade compression gets expensive and the sticker shock can be real. Watch for sales and know that the price reflects the quality and how well the compression will do its job.
Our favorite website to get compression (that also has consistent great sales) is Compression Guru
Disclaimer: If you have lymphedema or other lymphatic issues, getting properly fitted by a certified lymphedema therapist is important to make sure your compression fits correctly and does the job right.
3. Self Lymphatic Drainage Massage
Is self lymphatic drainage massage worth learning?
If you’re up for it, or have a partner or friend that is, learning self lymphatic massage can be a great addition to your routine. But for a lot of people, it’s just not practical. And thats okay! That’s one of the reasons we love vibration therapy—it’s low-impact, passive, and doesn’t require memorizing a complex routine.
If you are interested in learning be prepared to sift through a huge variety of videos online...some helpful, some… not so much. For someone interested in generalized lymphatic wellness, simple routines that focus on stimulating key lymph nodes can be incredibly effective and approachable. But if you’re dealing with a lymphatic condition, I highly recommend making sure you’re learning from a reputable source. Look for certified educators like Klose Training or experienced physical therapist who specialize in lymphatic care.
Also, don’t be intimidated if a video is labeled for lymphedema—much of that information can still be incredibly helpful, even if you’re just working on general lymphatic health or post-op recovery.
Compression Guru has videos by Klose Training up for free here. This is full traditional manual lymphatic drainage.
The Cancer Rehab PT on youtube has a huge variety of videos like this showing you how to do at home lymphatic drainage. She has a ton speficified to different conditions as well.
Lisa Gainsley, a certified lymphedema therapist, offers a comprehensive at-home self-lymphatic massage tutorial here.
4. Pneumatic Compression Devices aka Those Blow Up Leg Booties You've Seen on Tik Tok
We love pneumatic compression devices as a tool for supporting lymphatic flow—especially for folks managing chronic swelling, post-op recovery, or fluid retention.
The main thing to know is not all compression machines are created equal. If you're buying one for lymphatic drainage, make sure it's designed for that purpose. Look for multi-chambered sleeves that inflate with multiple chambers in a furthers away to closest sequence (this mimics the natural movement of lymph). Devices made for general massage or single-chamber compression won’t offer the same benefits and could even make swelling worse (hence why they tend to be cheaper).
How do they work? They gently squeeze and release different zones of the limb in waves, stimulating lymph vessels and encouraging fluid movement toward central drainage points. It’s like a rhythmic, mechanical version of manual lymphatic drainage with the bonus of being consistent, hands-free, and great for regular use. Many clients find it especially helpful between sessions or as part of a daily maintenance routine.
Some reputable options we like include:
The Normatec boots and system is a great option thats high quality but still not ridiculous in price. While advertised for recovery, they were actually developed with lymphedema partially in mind.
Tactile Medicine Flexitouch system is medical grade and great for folks with lymphedema or lipedema.
Lymphapress is fabulous (and that price reflects that) and medical grade.
5. Rebounding aka Mini Trampolines!
Yup! Mini trampolines! Rebounding has become popular on social media for good reason. Evidence backed, the gentle up-and-down motion creates shifts in gravitational pressure that stimulates lymph flow, improves circulation, and activates your core and leg muscles. Even if your feet don’t leave the mat, the motion is enough to wake up your lymphatic system. It’s also amazing for joint-friendly movement, balance, and mood.
There are a ton of great options out there like this that are affordable and fold up to save space. There are also a lot of videos on youtube to guide you if wanted.
6. Water
Your lymphatic system relies heavily on proper hydration to function effectively. Lymph fluid is made up mostly of water, so when you're dehydrated, lymph flow slows down—making it harder for your body to flush out toxins, reduce inflammation, and move excess fluid. This stagnation can lead to puffiness, swelling, and a general feeling of heaviness. On the flip side, drinking enough water helps keep lymph flowing smoothly, supporting detoxification and reducing inflammation throughout the body. If you're working on lymphatic health, water is one of the simplest and most powerful tools you can use.
7. Gua Sha
Gua sha works by using gentle strokes with a tool to stimulate circulation, encourage lymphatic movement, and release tension in the fascia and muscles. This can boost microcirculation, which increases oxygen and nutrient delivery to the tissues while helping the body clear out metabolic waste. Releasing fascia and muscles allows more space for circulation to happen as well. When performed with light pressure along lymphatic pathways, gua sha helps mobilize stagnant lymph fluid and direct it toward drainage points, reducing puffiness and inflammation. It can be used anywhere, but is most well known for the face.
We like this how to video and a stainless steel tool like this.
8. Our Take On Dry Brushing
We personally don’t dry brush as part of our lymphatic routines. To date, we have not seen any solid studies proving that dry brushing effectively moves lymph (if you’ve seen research that says otherwise we’re totally open to learning!). That said, if you enjoy dry brushing and feel like it benefits you, that’s great! At the very least, it offers skin perks like exfoliation and increased surface circulation, which is a win.
If you do choose to dry brush, we recommend using a soft-bristled brush and moving in gentle strokes toward the heart, starting at the extremities. It is recommended to brush on dry skin before showering, and avoid broken skin, rashes, or areas of inflammation. If you’re post-op, have sensitive skin, or deal with conditions like eczema, psoriasis, or lymphedema, it’s best to skip this practice or consult with your provider first.
9. Walking: Free and Your Lymphatic System Loves it
When it comes to supporting your lymphatic system, walking is one of the simplest and most effective things you can do. We are not even talking power walking, just your regular paced easy stroll.
The lymphatic system doesn’t have a central pump like the heart, it relies on movement and muscle contractions to keep lymph fluid flowing. Walking activates the large muscle groups in your legs and core, which gently compress nearby lymph vessels and encourage drainage. It also stimulates deep breathing, which helps move lymph through the thoracic duct (one of the main drainage points in your body). Bonus: it’s low-impact, free, and great for your mental health, too.
10. Diaphragmatic Breathing aka Belly Breathing
Diaphragmatic breathing is a deep, intentional way of breathing that engages your diaphragm muscle rather than your chest and neck muscles. When you inhale deeply into your belly, your diaphragm moves downward, creating gentle pressure changes in your abdomen that help stimulate lymphatic flow. This movement acts almost like a natural pump for your lymph system, encouraging fluid to move through your body and drain more efficiently. It also activates your parasympathetic nervous system (your “rest and digest” mode), which supports relaxation, healing, and circulation. A few minutes of deep breathing each day can reduce swelling, support detoxification, and help your body feel more balanced. Plus, it’s free and accessible anywhere.
11. Contrast Hydrotherapy (Hot & Cold Showers)
Contrast hydrotherapy involves alternating between warm and cold water during your shower to stimulate blood and lymph flow. The hot water dilates your blood and lymph vessels, and the cold causes them to constrict creating a pumping effect that encourages the movement of stagnant fluid through your lymphatic system.
Useful info:
Ending on cold can tighten and tone vessels and cap off the stimulating effect, which we want.
Have questions? Live in Portland Oregon and want to just pay someone to do all this for you? Book a session with us and lets get your lymphatic health locked in.
Affiliate Disclosure:
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission—at no additional cost to you—if you make a purchase through one of these links. I only recommend products I genuinely believe in and use myself, and all opinions expressed are my own. Thank you for supporting our work and allowing us to keep educating folks on lymphatics.
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