Lymphatic Drainage Massage For Upper Respiratory Support

This post will teach you how to preform lymphatic massage on yourself, or someone else, in order to get the lymph system moving and working to fight or stave off infection. This is a system I learned directly from Dr. Mary Anna Block, of The Block Center in Dallas Texas, many years ago when my children were very young. I still use this myself today to drain my own sinuses and ears naturally.

The Lymph System

What is it?

The lymph system is a part of the circulatory system. It is comprised of a system of tissues and organs (such bone marrow, thymus, lymph glands and spleen) which produce and store immune cells used to fight infection and disease. The vessels of the lymph system carry the clear lymph fluid, which is essentially recycled blood plasma, transporting these immune cells through out the body.

What does the Lymph system Do?

The Lymph system is part of the immune system and the lymph fluid contains immune cells which fight infection. When your body is reacting to an infection, or possibly just allergies, immune cells can build up in the lymph nodes causing them to swell - sometimes painfully. A gentle lymphatic massage can help drain these glands, relieve pain, and get the system moving to fight or stave off infection. You can use this massage to drain the sinuses, head and ears.

How to do the Lymph Massage

To begin, locate the slight depression below each collarbone. To find this, begin in the center of your chest and trace along underneath each collarbone going toward your shoulders until you find a hollow about two thirds of way along the bone. There is a major lymph node located in each of these depressions.

Gently pulse both nodes 10 times. To do this on yourself you will need to cross your arms and use the tips of your fingers. To do this on another person, have them lie down and use your thumbs to preform the massage.


Next, place your fingers (or thumbs) in the center of the forehead and gently swipe your hands across the forehead, down the temples, down in front of the ears, and down the sides of the throat below the ears, five times. Think of this as a gentle pushing motion. You are pushing out excess fluid.

Next place your fingers or thumbs under the chin and swipe along the jawline to the corner of the jaw under the ears, then down the side of the throat below the ears. You may feel swollen glands in this location and along the neck.

Lastly, start behind the ears and swipe down the side of the neck behind the ears and onto your shoulders. Ahh, that feels good!

Repeat the whole thing three or four times, and you will begin to feel your sinuses and ears draining, and your glands shrinking.

You can stop right here, or you can go on the gently massage the arms, legs and torso, to completely wake up the whole lymph system. Always massage toward the heart, from hands and feet inward and upward. From the torso, massage between the ribs toward the heart.

You will probably need to do this three or four times a day. It only takes a few minutes and you can do it anywhere.  I personally try to avoid all unnecessary chemicals and only use this massage and essential oils, which leads me to my next point:

Add Essential Oils to make the Massage more Effective

Adding a massage oil with essential oils that target the lymph system will make the massage that much more effective. Simply apply the oil of your choice to the throat and nodes as you are massaging.

Essential oils that aid in draining the lymph system are Helichrysum and Lemongrass. Lavender essential oil helps in the elimination of wastes through the lymph system. Cypress and Grapefruit oils are good for the decongestion of the lymph system, and Lemon essential oil will increase the function of the lymph system. Mix these with a carrier oil, such as almond, olive or coconut, when using on children.

A good all around blend, that contains many of these oils, is Young Living's Cel-Lite Magic massage oil. It is already blended in a carrier oil and ready to use.

I hope this information about the lymphatic system was helpful to you and that you will give this method a try, and let me know how it works for you!

You might also be interested in this post on homemade throat spray, and this post on homemade chest rub. All these things used together are very effective.

To get started buying essential oils at wholesale prices, please click on the small lavender picture at the top right of the page, or go to youngliving.com. Open an account with Young Living and use this number (1401517) for your enroller and sponsor. A Preferred Customer buys at retail prices and a Distributor buys at wholesale prices. To become a distributor and get your oils at wholesale prices, with no selling required and no monthly quotas,  simply purchase one of the starter kits. The Premium Starter Kit is the best value and includes 11 bottles of essential oils, essential oil samples, an ultrasonic diffuser for aromatherapy (worth $100!), literature that explains all about the programs at Young Living, and more.

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, just a mom who loves taking care of my family.  This information is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease. Please consult a qualified holistic health care practitioner for any medical needs you may have.