Before we begin the massage make sure you are comfortable.
To help with this find a place to rest your arm such as a chair with arm support or pillow.
Hello everyone and thank-you for joining us.
My name is Pam Hammond and I am massage therapist at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre’s
lymphedema clinic.
This video will teach you self-massage techniques for the arm and hand.
Our lymphatic system drains fluid from every part of the body.
Lymphatic massage can help reduce swelling caused by lymphedema by moving fluid where
the areas swollen to the area where the lymphatic system is working normally.
Try to do all the steps in the video in the order shown.
All steps of the massage should be done without causing you pain or strain.
Try to keep your hands and shoulders relaxed.
If you find that you’re having pain or strain stop doing the self-massage and contact your
health care professional.
You can follow along with the pamphlet how to do self-massage lymphatic massage on your
upper body.
Pick up a copy from Princess Margaret lymphedema clinic or download a copy from the website
on your screen.
The Lymphatic system plays an important role in the defense of the body.
Because of your cancer surgery or radiation your lymphatic system is compromised which
puts you at a slightly higher risk of developing an infection.
Before we begin the demonstration it’s important that you know which areas are at risk of infection
and the signs of an infection.
Do not do self massage if you have an infection in your infected fingers, hands, breast, arm,
chest, trunk or back.
Remember to check your skin everyday so you can see if you have any open cuts or broken
skin.
An open cut is at a high risk for infection.
Signs of infection may include, swelling, redness of the skin that spreads quickly,
feelings of pain, feelings of tenderness, having fever or chills.
Let’s begin the full demonstration of self-massage you can follow along with me.
Make sure you’re comfortable either in a sitting or standing or lying down position.
I’ll describe every hand position.
If it’s easier for you, you can do all massages with one hand.
A very important part of your self-care is deep breathing.
Deep breathing helps to stimulate or wake up the lymphatic system in your whole body.
You can do deep breathing anytime.
Begin by placing the palms of your hand gently on your stomach.
Slowly breathe in deeply through your nose and let your stomach expand.
Exhale slowly through pursed lips and let your stomach flatten.
Take a short break between each breath so you do not get dizzy.
Remember, each breath in should be as long as each breath out.
Repeat this five times.
The lymphatic system brings fluid back to the blood circulation at the neck.
This motion helps lymphatic fluid drain back into your blood circulation.
Begin by placing the flats of your second and third fingers at either side of your neck,
just above your collarbone.
You can do a shoulder shrug to feel the dip in your skin.
Your fingers should be placed in the dip.
Massage down and inwards towards your collarbone, stretch the skin as far as it naturally goes
and release.
This will resemble a ‘j’ shape.
I will demonstrate with crossed hands, but use the hand position that is most comfortable
for you.
Now repeat fifteen times.
Now work on the lymphatic nodes on the side of the neck.
Place the flats of your hands on either side of your neck, just under your ears.
Gently stretch the skin back away from your face and down then release.
I will demonstrate with both hands together.
Now repeat fifteen times.
We will continue by massaging the lymph nodes at the back of the neck.
Place your flat hands on the back of your neck on either side of your spine just below
your hairline.
Stretch the skin towards your spine and then down towards the base of your neck, twist
and release.
I will demonstrate with both hands.
Now repeat fifteen times.
This step prepares lymphatic nodes in your under arm that was not treated for cancer.
It will help move fluid from the side that has swelling towards the side that has not
been treated.
Place your palm against your under arm on the side of the body that is not swollen.
And gently pull up and in towards your body, release.
Now repeat fifteen times.
Remember, you can do scar massage anytime your scar feels tight or stuck.
Please refer back to the pamphlet how to do self-massage on your upper body for instructions.
Fluid normally flows from your chest into the lymphatic nodes in your under arm.
Massaging your upper chest to your neck will direct fluid away from where you have swelling
and will move fluid up to the lymphatic nodes in your neck.
Try to find a position that is most comfortable for you and will not strain your hand or wrist.
Place your hand on your chest, massage up your chest towards your neck, gently stretch
the skin as far as it goes and release.
Repeat fifteen times.
Fluid normally flows up the arm and into the lymphatic nodes in your under arm.
This step directs fluid away from where you have swelling and across the chest into the
functioning nodes of your under arm.
This step will move fluid away from the side of your body that was treated for cancer.
I will demonstrate this step first with one hand, and then with both hands.
Choose the one that is most comfortable for you.
Place your hand by your under arm on the side you have swelling.
Lightly sweep your hand across your chest over to the other under arm.
Gently stretch the skin as far as it naturally goes and then release.
Do these movements in small steps, repeat this fifteen times.
This step will prepare your groin to receive fluid.
Do this step on the side that has swelling.
Place the flats of your hand on your groin gently press in towards your body and then
roll upwards towards your stomach.
Repeat this fifteen times.
This step will direct fluid from your upper arm, breast and trunk down the side of your
body to your groin.
Do this step on the side of the body that has swelling.
Choose the position that is most comfortable for you, start at your under arm.
Massage down the side of your chest towards your groin, do these in small steps.
Gently stretch the skin as far as it naturally goes and release.
Repeat fifteen times.
This step will direct fluid away from your chest, trunk and breast to your groin.
Do this step on the side of your body that has swelling.
Place your hand on your chest, gently stretch and release the skin moving down your body
to the groin area.
Repeat fifteen times.
This step will direct fluid from the inside of your arm to the back of your upper arm
and into your neck.
We will break this step into three parts.
The first step will start just below your shoulder.
Start just below your shoulder and gently stretch and release the skin moving over your
shoulder towards your neck.
Massage across the back of your shoulder to your neck.
Repeat this fifteen times.
Now we will massage the skin from the inside of your arm to the outside of your arm.
We will break your upper arm into two sections.
Stretch and release the skin from the inside of your arm to the outside of your arm and
release.
Repeat fifteen times.
Stretch and release the skin from the inside of your arm to the outside of your arm and
release.
Repeat fifteen times.
Now we will move to the back of your arm.
Curl your fingers around the back of your arm and stretch and release the skin.
Repeat this fifteen times.
This step will allow you to gently massage your entire arm, moving towards your head.
Remember to do this massage on the side of your body that has swelling.
And stretch and release the skin towards your upper arm.
Repeat this fifteen times.
Now we will massage your lower arm from your elbow to your wrist.
We will massage the back of your lower arm first, and then the inside of your lower arm.
Now we will break the lower part of your arm into two sections.
We will start with the top section, just below your elbow.
Gently stretch your skin in an upward motion and release.
Repeat fifteen times.
Now move to the bottom section of your arm.
Place your hand just above your wrist and gently stretch your skin in an upward motion
towards your elbow.
Repeat this movement fifteen times.
We will massage the inside of your lower arm from your elbow to wrist.
Start close to your elbow and shift down the inside of your lower arm until you get to
your wrist.
Gently stretch the skin pushing the fluid upwards and release.
Repeat fifteen times.
Now move to the bottom section of your lower arm.
Place your hand just above your wrist, gently stretch your skin in an upward motion towards
your elbow, and repeat this movement fifteen times.
Now we will move to your hands and fingers.
Gently stretch the skin on the back of your hand towards your forearm and release.
Repeat fifteen times.
These strokes can also be repeated on the palm of your hand.
Repeat fifteen times.
We will now move on to the fingers.
Place your index finger at the bottom or base of your swollen finger.
Gently stretch and release the skin towards the palm.
Massage the entire finger.
Repeat this on each finger fifteen times.
Thank you for watching this self-massage video, please try to do this self-massage on a regular
basis.
Remember this self-massage should not hurt or cause any pain or strain.
If you have any questions please contact your Lymphedema care specialist.