Pre and post-op lymphatic drainage massage in Calgary

Your first visit is part conversation, part treatment. We’ll start with your health history and the details of your surgery: what you had done, when, where, and anything your surgeon told you about your recovery. Your therapist will then assess your swelling, the feel of your tissue, and your incisions, so we know exactly where your body is in its healing. From there, we begin your lymphatic drainage treatment. Before you leave, we’ll talk through a treatment plan and a few simple things you can do at home between sessions.

Generally within three to five days of surgery, depending on your surgeon’s recommendation and the procedure. With physician approval it can begin as early as 24 hours post-op. Early treatment minimizes the severity of swelling and bruising.

You don’t usually need written clearance to book, unless your surgeon has asked you to wait or to seek clearance first. We always recommend following your surgeon’s advice, and if they’ve given you specific instructions about timing, activity, or compression, please share them with us so we can support that plan.

Anything you have about your procedure is helpful: your surgical or operative report, the date of surgery, and any post-op instructions. If you’ve had cancer-related surgery, please let us know how many lymph nodes were removed and from which area. This helps your Certified Lymphedema Therapist plan and optimize your treatment safely.

In most cases, yes. Drains, stitches, and healing incisions don’t automatically prevent post-op lymphatic drainage. Your therapist assesses the area and works around anything that needs protecting.

Loose, comfortable clothing that’s easy to slip on and off over your compression garment, whether that’s a faja, a brace, or a binder.

Absolutely. Many clients bring a partner, friend, or family member in the early days, especially for help getting in and out of their compression garment.

Many of our clients travel abroad for surgery and come to us for their recovery at home. Bring your operative report and post-op instructions (translated if possible) and let us know what treatments you’ve already had. Keep your surgeon’s contact information handy, and know where you’d go locally, such as your family doctor or urgent care, if a complication came up.

Yes, as long as the skin is closed. If any part of an incision is still open, your therapist will work around it and focus on the surrounding tissue.

No. It is a gentle technique designed to reduce discomfort, and most people find it relaxing. Treatment is adapted to your incision sites and comfort.

In the early stage (roughly the first week), swelling, tenderness, and bruising are normal, and treatment is very gentle and focused on moving fluid. In the rebuilding stage (roughly weeks 1 to 6), your body lays down new tissue and fibrosis can appear, so treatment combines drainage with softening tissue as it forms. In the remodeling stage (roughly 6 weeks to a year or more), scar tissue matures and sessions become less frequent, focused on refining tissue and supporting scars. Every body heals on its own timeline.

Swelling depends on your body and how it heals. Most clients notice their swelling starting to improve within the first 2 to 4 sessions. Some residual swelling can come and go for several months, which is a normal part of recovery.

Fibrosis is hardened or thickened tissue that usually feels firm, lumpy, tight, or rope-like under the skin. Some fibrosis exists before surgery, often where a surgeon noted fibrotic fat or had to work especially hard; your therapist will usually identify it within your first 1 or 2 sessions. Other fibrosis develops after surgery as your body makes new scar tissue while swelling is present. Treatment aims to help soften and mobilize that tissue as it develops.

Vacuum and RF (radiofrequency) treatments are introduced based on your assessment, never on a fixed schedule. Many clients have already had lymphatic drainage in the country where they had surgery, so every client is assessed case by case. For most people, vacuum or RF therapy is introduced around the 8th to 10th session.

It depends on your procedure, your body, and how far along you are in healing. Many clients start with 2 to 3 sessions a week in the early weeks, then taper as swelling settles, often totaling 10 to 15 sessions. We’ll build a plan after your first assessment and adjust it as you heal.

In most cases, yes. Please tell your therapist about every medication you’re taking. If you’re on blood thinners, we’ll adjust pressure and may wait longer before introducing vacuum therapy. If you’re on antibiotics for a suspected or active infection, please contact your surgeon or doctor before booking. If pain medication makes you drowsy, please arrange a ride.

Wear your compression garment as your surgeon recommends, drink plenty of water, take short gentle walks, and practice slow deep belly breathing. Avoid hot tubs, saunas, and very hot baths until your surgeon says it’s okay, hold off on strenuous exercise until you’re cleared, and don’t try to work out lumps with firm pressure at home.

Compression is like a gentle hug for healing tissue. Surgery disrupts the lymphatic system, lymphatic drainage moves fluid out, and compression keeps it from building back up. Together they help you recover more comfortably and efficiently. We fit and order garments in clinic.

Yes. Your therapist will teach you self-drainage techniques to keep fluid moving between visits. Professional treatment still matters most during the critical post-operative phase, to ensure correct technique and avoid complications.

Yes. With your written consent, we’re happy to share treatment updates, answer your surgeon’s questions, or pass along any concerns we notice during your sessions.

Post-operative treatments at Renu are delivered by Registered Massage Therapists and a Certified Lymphedema Therapist, and you receive an official receipt after every session to submit to your insurer. Coverage depends on your individual plan, and some plans require a doctor’s referral, so check with your provider before your first visit.

Contact your surgeon or a doctor right away if you have a fever or chills; spreading redness, heat, or hardness around an incision; pus or foul-smelling drainage; an incision that begins to open; sudden, rapidly increasing swelling; worsening or uncontrolled pain; skin that turns dark, dusky, or blistered; or pain, warmth, or swelling in one calf or leg. Call 911 immediately for chest pain, sudden shortness of breath, or coughing up blood.