Swelling is a common part of recovery after surgery and if you have been recommended to consider manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) post surgery, you may be wondering why you need it, whether it is suitable for your body, when it is safe to begin and how many sessions you might need.
Giving the right answers to your questions could depend on the type of operation you have had, how your wounds are healing, whether lymph nodes or drainage pathways were affected, and the actual reason for your swelling.
MLD can often form part of specialist care after certain breast, head and neck, or lymph node procedures, and some surgeons also include lymphatic massage in recovery plans after liposuction or body-contouring surgery. But it is not a routine requirement after every operation.
The first step is to understand what is causing your swelling. From there, we can help you decide whether MLD is suitable for you, when to begin and what kind of support you may need as you recover.
An operation affects blood vessels, tissues and, sometimes, lymph vessels. Lymph vessels are small channels throughout the body that collect excess fluid from your tissues and carry it back towards the bloodstream.
As the body begins to repair the area, its normal inflammatory response brings fluid and immune cells into the tissues. You may notice puffiness, tenderness, bruising or a feeling of tightness. This swelling generally changes as healing progresses, but can be different from proceedure to proceedure and person to person.
The lymphatic system plays a part in managing tissue fluid. Its network of vessels collects fluid from the spaces between cells and returns it to the circulation. If surgery disrupts lymph vessels or removes lymph nodes, fluid may have fewer routes through which to drain.
Radiotherapy treatment can also affect drainage pathways.
Some swelling around the surgical area is a normal part of healing. Your surgeon or doctor should explain what they expect after your procedure, how the swelling may change over time and which symptoms mean you should contact them. Their advice is a more useful guide than someone else’s recovery experience.
Not all postoperative swelling has the same cause. Understanding what you are experiencing helps you to advise your care team decide whether they think it is part of normal healing, whether it needs medical attention and whether MLD may be helpful.
A seroma is a pocket of fluid that can develop beneath the skin near an operation site. It may feel different from more general swelling. If you notice a new, localised area of swelling, ask your surgical team to assess it.
A doctor or nurse may decide to drain a seroma if it is painful or causing problems. Massage cannot replace that assessment or treatment.
Lymphoedema develops when the lymphatic system is not able to drain fluid adequately. It often affects an arm or leg, but it can also occur in the breast, chest, head, neck or genital area.
After cancer treatment, it may appear during recovery or develop months or years later. You might notice swelling, a feeling of heaviness or tightness, aching, or clothes and jewellery becoming harder to fit.
If your swelling persists, increases or changes in a way you were not told to expect, it is important that you speak to your surgical team.
You do not need to work out which type of swelling it is on your own. An assessment can clarify what is happening and whether MLD would be good for your rehabilitation program.
Before starting MLD after surgery, your practitioner should review your operation, your surgeon’s instructions and how your recovery is progressing.
Treatment should be postponed if you have an active infection, such as cellulitis, in the swollen area.
Certain medical conditions, including some heart problems, also need assessment before MLD can be considered.
Do not use a lymphatic drainage appointment to manage new, unexplained or rapidly worsening swelling without first checking its cause.
Pain or swelling in one leg, especially with warmth or a change in colour, could be a sign of a blood clot and needs prompt medical assessment. Sudden breathlessness or chest pain requires urgent medical attention.
Contact your surgical team if your wound becomes increasingly red or swollen, starts to discharge fluid or pus, opens, or you develop a fever. If you still have drains or healing wounds, follow your surgeon’s instructions about when hands-on treatment can begin and which areas must be avoided.
Manuel Lympahtic Drainage is especially used in specialist care for some people who develop lymphoedema after cancer treatment. The decision depends on your current health, the cause of the swelling and the advice of your cancer and surgical teams.
Our practitioners are experienced in this type of MLD care.
MLD is a specialised treatment that uses light, rhythmic movements on the skin to encourage fluid to move towards lymphatic pathways that are working well. It is very different from deep tissue massage.
We adapt all postoperative treatments to the operation that the clients or patients have had, the areas affected and any restrictions given by the surgeon.
For someone with lymphoedema, MLD may form one part of complete decongestive therapy.
Complete decongestive therapy (CDT) is a personalised treatment plan for lymphoedema. It combines techniques such as manual lymphatic drainage, compression, movement and skin care to reduce swelling and help manage it over time.
So, depending on the person’s needs, your treatment program can include CDT and other self care techniques taught for use at home.
It’s important to note that MLD on its own is not the whole treatment plan for established lymphoedema.
When you are looking for a practitioner to give you support in your care program, an experienced professional should be able to assess the affected tissues and adapt each treatment to your condition, as well as teach you a simple self-drainage sequence to help manage symptoms between appointments.
MLD is most commonly considered when an operation has affected lymphatic drainage pathways or when a surgeon has included it in a specific recovery plan. The name of the operation alone cannot tell us whether treatment is necessary. Two people can have the same procedure and experience very different patterns of swelling.
Breast cancer treatment may involve removal of lymph nodes under the arm. Some people may develop lymphoedema in the arm, hand, breast or chest on that side. The risk and symptoms depend on the treatment received, having lymph node surgery does not mean that lymphoedema will necessarily develop.
If persistent lymphoedema is identified, a specialist may include MLD in a wider plan. That plan may address swelling, skin care, comfortable movement and, when indicated, compression as we mentioned earlier.
If you have swelling around your breast incision, however, you may need the surgical team to check for a seroma or another postoperative issue first.
Surgery and radiotherapy for head and neck cancer can alter lymph drainage from the face and neck. Swelling may affect comfort, appearance and movement.
Specialist services may use MLD, teach simple drainage techniques and recommend other measures suited to this part of the body. The approach needs to take account of the operation and any ongoing cancer treatment.
Lymph nodes in the pelvis or groin may be removed during treatment for certain cancers. This can affect drainage from a leg or the genital area.
If swelling develops, assessment can establish whether it is expected postoperative swelling, lymphoedema or another issue that needs medical attention.
Where lymphoedema is present, MLD may be considered within a broader management plan.
Some plastic surgeons incorporate lymphatic massage into their aftercare following liposuction or body-contouring surgery. Practices differ between surgeons and procedures.
We recommend you follow your own surgeon’s instructions about whether to have it, when to start, and how the treatment should avoid healing or sensitive areas.
Use of postoperative lymphatic massage in cosmetic surgery is not always needed for every patient, but when your doctor recommends it to reduce complications, or for a particular number of sessions for a better result, we are here to help.
Its role should be discussed in the context of the surgeon’s recovery plan and your symptoms.
Swelling after hip, knee or other surgery can make movement and rehabilitation more uncomfortable.
Once your surgical team has confirmed that healing is progressing as expected our pracitioner, Aline Tisato can assess whether MLD would be a useful addition to your recovery care.
As a holistic physiotherapist, she can consider the swelling alongside your mobility, comfort and rehabilitation goals, then tailor her support to the instructions from your surgeon.
Aline Tisato is Studio Australia Barcelona’s holistic physiotherapist and manual lymphatic drainage practitioner. She works with people recovering from surgery, adapting her approach to the procedure they have had and how their body is healing.
Aline’s starting point is to understand your symptoms alongside your surgeon’s instructions. She can consider where swelling is occurring, how it has changed and whether your current symptoms need review by the surgical team.
If MLD is appropriate, she can plan treatment around your stage of recovery and help you identify suitable care between appointments.
This individual approach is particularly important after surgery: the location of an incision, a drain, altered sensation or an area affected by lymph node removal may change which techniques and movements are appropriate.
There is no single start date that applies to every operation. Some surgeons include lymphatic massage early in recovery. Other procedures, wounds or complications call for a different approach. You need to follow your own progress to recovery as directed by your medical team.
The decision should consider:
If your surgeon has given you a written aftercare plan, bring it to your appointment. It can help Aline understand any restrictions on touch, movement or compression.
If you have been told to arrange lymphatic drainage but have not been told when to begin, ask the surgical team to clarify or speak to Aline.
It is possible to arrange an assessment before beginning hands-on treatment as this can help establish what information is still needed and to make sure that MLD is the right next step.
There is no standard number of sessions after surgery.
A person recovering from liposuction under a surgeon’s specific aftercare plan may have different needs from someone managing persistent lymphoedema after lymph node surgery.
Even within the same type of operation, the amount of swelling, its cause and the person’s response to care vary.
If MLD is suitable, Aline will recommend an initial plan with reviews.
Depending on the area affected, a review may consider changes in swelling, a feeling of heaviness or tightness, tissue comfort, movement and how easily you manage daily activities. Specialist lymphoedema services may also use repeated measurements to monitor an affected limb.
The plan can then be adjusted. You may need fewer appointments than initially anticipated. If swelling persists or returns, the next step may be to revisit the diagnosis, your wider treatment plan or the support you use at home, rather than simply continuing the same appointments indefinitely.
For established lymphoedema, care may have an initial phase focused on reducing swelling and a longer maintenance phase focused on managing it. Compression, movement, skin care and taught self-drainage may all have roles, depending on specialist advice.
This is a different situation from booking several massages for ordinary short-term postoperative swelling.
Start with an assessment rather than assuming a fixed package is necessary. It gives you a basis for deciding what care is appropriate and when to check whether it is helping.
After surgery, it can be difficult to know which changes are expected and what kind of support would help you.
You can talk it through with us.
At Studio Australia Barcelona, our team will take the time to understand your operation, listen to how you are feeling and work with your surgeon’s guidance.
If MLD is suitable for you, Aline will tailor your care as you heal. We will be here to answer your questions and help you feel supported through each stage of your recovery.
Book a complimentary 15-minute conversation with our team to tell us what you need.
Get monthly updates with wellness tips, holistic health insights, and expert guidance. Start your journey to a better well-being and healing today!
Swelling is a common part of recovery after surgery and if you have been recommended to consider manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) post surgery, you may be wondering why you need it, whether it is suitable for your body, when it is safe to begin and how many sessions you might need.
Giving the right answers to your questions could depend on the type of operation you have had, how your wounds are healing, whether lymph nodes or drainage pathways were affected, and the actual reason for your swelling.
MLD can often form part of specialist care after certain breast, head and neck, or lymph node procedures, and some surgeons also include lymphatic massage in recovery plans after liposuction or body-contouring surgery. But it is not a routine requirement after every operation.
The first step is to understand what is causing your swelling. From there, we can help you decide whether MLD is suitable for you, when to begin and what kind of support you may need as you recover.
An operation affects blood vessels, tissues and, sometimes, lymph vessels. Lymph vessels are small channels throughout the body that collect excess fluid from your tissues and carry it back towards the bloodstream.
As the body begins to repair the area, its normal inflammatory response brings fluid and immune cells into the tissues. You may notice puffiness, tenderness, bruising or a feeling of tightness. This swelling generally changes as healing progresses, but can be different from proceedure to proceedure and person to person.
The lymphatic system plays a part in managing tissue fluid. Its network of vessels collects fluid from the spaces between cells and returns it to the circulation. If surgery disrupts lymph vessels or removes lymph nodes, fluid may have fewer routes through which to drain.
Radiotherapy treatment can also affect drainage pathways.
Some swelling around the surgical area is a normal part of healing. Your surgeon or doctor should explain what they expect after your procedure, how the swelling may change over time and which symptoms mean you should contact them. Their advice is a more useful guide than someone else’s recovery experience.
Not all postoperative swelling has the same cause. Understanding what you are experiencing helps you to advise your care team decide whether they think it is part of normal healing, whether it needs medical attention and whether MLD may be helpful.
A seroma is a pocket of fluid that can develop beneath the skin near an operation site. It may feel different from more general swelling. If you notice a new, localised area of swelling, ask your surgical team to assess it.
A doctor or nurse may decide to drain a seroma if it is painful or causing problems. Massage cannot replace that assessment or treatment.
Lymphoedema develops when the lymphatic system is not able to drain fluid adequately. It often affects an arm or leg, but it can also occur in the breast, chest, head, neck or genital area.
After cancer treatment, it may appear during recovery or develop months or years later. You might notice swelling, a feeling of heaviness or tightness, aching, or clothes and jewellery becoming harder to fit.
If your swelling persists, increases or changes in a way you were not told to expect, it is important that you speak to your surgical team.
You do not need to work out which type of swelling it is on your own. An assessment can clarify what is happening and whether MLD would be good for your rehabilitation program.
Before starting MLD after surgery, your practitioner should review your operation, your surgeon’s instructions and how your recovery is progressing.
Treatment should be postponed if you have an active infection, such as cellulitis, in the swollen area.
Certain medical conditions, including some heart problems, also need assessment before MLD can be considered.
Do not use a lymphatic drainage appointment to manage new, unexplained or rapidly worsening swelling without first checking its cause.
Pain or swelling in one leg, especially with warmth or a change in colour, could be a sign of a blood clot and needs prompt medical assessment. Sudden breathlessness or chest pain requires urgent medical attention.
Contact your surgical team if your wound becomes increasingly red or swollen, starts to discharge fluid or pus, opens, or you develop a fever. If you still have drains or healing wounds, follow your surgeon’s instructions about when hands-on treatment can begin and which areas must be avoided.
Manuel Lympahtic Drainage is especially used in specialist care for some people who develop lymphoedema after cancer treatment. The decision depends on your current health, the cause of the swelling and the advice of your cancer and surgical teams.
Our practitioners are experienced in this type of MLD care.
MLD is a specialised treatment that uses light, rhythmic movements on the skin to encourage fluid to move towards lymphatic pathways that are working well. It is very different from deep tissue massage.
We adapt all postoperative treatments to the operation that the clients or patients have had, the areas affected and any restrictions given by the surgeon.
For someone with lymphoedema, MLD may form one part of complete decongestive therapy.
Complete decongestive therapy (CDT) is a personalised treatment plan for lymphoedema. It combines techniques such as manual lymphatic drainage, compression, movement and skin care to reduce swelling and help manage it over time.
So, depending on the person’s needs, your treatment program can include CDT and other self care techniques taught for use at home.
It’s important to note that MLD on its own is not the whole treatment plan for established lymphoedema.
When you are looking for a practitioner to give you support in your care program, an experienced professional should be able to assess the affected tissues and adapt each treatment to your condition, as well as teach you a simple self-drainage sequence to help manage symptoms between appointments.
MLD is most commonly considered when an operation has affected lymphatic drainage pathways or when a surgeon has included it in a specific recovery plan. The name of the operation alone cannot tell us whether treatment is necessary. Two people can have the same procedure and experience very different patterns of swelling.
Breast cancer treatment may involve removal of lymph nodes under the arm. Some people may develop lymphoedema in the arm, hand, breast or chest on that side. The risk and symptoms depend on the treatment received, having lymph node surgery does not mean that lymphoedema will necessarily develop.
If persistent lymphoedema is identified, a specialist may include MLD in a wider plan. That plan may address swelling, skin care, comfortable movement and, when indicated, compression as we mentioned earlier.
If you have swelling around your breast incision, however, you may need the surgical team to check for a seroma or another postoperative issue first.
Surgery and radiotherapy for head and neck cancer can alter lymph drainage from the face and neck. Swelling may affect comfort, appearance and movement.
Specialist services may use MLD, teach simple drainage techniques and recommend other measures suited to this part of the body. The approach needs to take account of the operation and any ongoing cancer treatment.
Lymph nodes in the pelvis or groin may be removed during treatment for certain cancers. This can affect drainage from a leg or the genital area.
If swelling develops, assessment can establish whether it is expected postoperative swelling, lymphoedema or another issue that needs medical attention.
Where lymphoedema is present, MLD may be considered within a broader management plan.
Some plastic surgeons incorporate lymphatic massage into their aftercare following liposuction or body-contouring surgery. Practices differ between surgeons and procedures.
We recommend you follow your own surgeon’s instructions about whether to have it, when to start, and how the treatment should avoid healing or sensitive areas.
Use of postoperative lymphatic massage in cosmetic surgery is not always needed for every patient, but when your doctor recommends it to reduce complications, or for a particular number of sessions for a better result, we are here to help.
Its role should be discussed in the context of the surgeon’s recovery plan and your symptoms.
Swelling after hip, knee or other surgery can make movement and rehabilitation more uncomfortable.
Once your surgical team has confirmed that healing is progressing as expected our pracitioner, Aline Tisato can assess whether MLD would be a useful addition to your recovery care.
As a holistic physiotherapist, she can consider the swelling alongside your mobility, comfort and rehabilitation goals, then tailor her support to the instructions from your surgeon.
Aline Tisato is Studio Australia Barcelona’s holistic physiotherapist and manual lymphatic drainage practitioner. She works with people recovering from surgery, adapting her approach to the procedure they have had and how their body is healing.
Aline’s starting point is to understand your symptoms alongside your surgeon’s instructions. She can consider where swelling is occurring, how it has changed and whether your current symptoms need review by the surgical team.
If MLD is appropriate, she can plan treatment around your stage of recovery and help you identify suitable care between appointments.
This individual approach is particularly important after surgery: the location of an incision, a drain, altered sensation or an area affected by lymph node removal may change which techniques and movements are appropriate.
There is no single start date that applies to every operation. Some surgeons include lymphatic massage early in recovery. Other procedures, wounds or complications call for a different approach. You need to follow your own progress to recovery as directed by your medical team.
The decision should consider:
If your surgeon has given you a written aftercare plan, bring it to your appointment. It can help Aline understand any restrictions on touch, movement or compression.
If you have been told to arrange lymphatic drainage but have not been told when to begin, ask the surgical team to clarify or speak to Aline.
It is possible to arrange an assessment before beginning hands-on treatment as this can help establish what information is still needed and to make sure that MLD is the right next step.
There is no standard number of sessions after surgery.
A person recovering from liposuction under a surgeon’s specific aftercare plan may have different needs from someone managing persistent lymphoedema after lymph node surgery.
Even within the same type of operation, the amount of swelling, its cause and the person’s response to care vary.
If MLD is suitable, Aline will recommend an initial plan with reviews.
Depending on the area affected, a review may consider changes in swelling, a feeling of heaviness or tightness, tissue comfort, movement and how easily you manage daily activities. Specialist lymphoedema services may also use repeated measurements to monitor an affected limb.
The plan can then be adjusted. You may need fewer appointments than initially anticipated. If swelling persists or returns, the next step may be to revisit the diagnosis, your wider treatment plan or the support you use at home, rather than simply continuing the same appointments indefinitely.
For established lymphoedema, care may have an initial phase focused on reducing swelling and a longer maintenance phase focused on managing it. Compression, movement, skin care and taught self-drainage may all have roles, depending on specialist advice.
This is a different situation from booking several massages for ordinary short-term postoperative swelling.
Start with an assessment rather than assuming a fixed package is necessary. It gives you a basis for deciding what care is appropriate and when to check whether it is helping.
After surgery, it can be difficult to know which changes are expected and what kind of support would help you.
You can talk it through with us.
At Studio Australia Barcelona, our team will take the time to understand your operation, listen to how you are feeling and work with your surgeon’s guidance.
If MLD is suitable for you, Aline will tailor your care as you heal. We will be here to answer your questions and help you feel supported through each stage of your recovery.
Book a complimentary 15-minute conversation with our team to tell us what you need.
Get monthly updates with wellness tips, holistic health insights, and expert guidance. Start your journey to a better well-being and healing today!
Get monthly updates with wellness tips, holistic health insights, and expert guidance. Start your journey to a better well-being and healing today!
