The Vogel Method · Since 1991

Complete Decongestive Therapy

Start with a first visit. You might just be puffy or bloated, slight edema or lymphedema that can be managed with a wonderful lymph drainage massage. A leg or arm that has stayed swollen for months. A garment that stops fitting by afternoon. Complete Decongestive Therapy is the recognized conservative program for lymphedema, and for many clients it brings the swelling down and keeps it manageable. Delivered by Vogel Method-trained therapists across three clinics in Chicago's western suburbs.

4.8

1,000+ reviews across Google, Yelp & More

35 years of clinical practice3 Illinois locationsNo referral needed · BBB A+
Complete Decongestive Therapy Process

What your visit to National Lymphatic Centers can do.

Complete Decongestive Therapy has four coordinated parts and runs in two phases. Both phases are measured, so you can see whether the plan is holding.

Step 01 · Scope
Who Complete Decongestive Therapy Is For

CDT is built for chronic swelling that the body can no longer clear on its own. It is ongoing conservative management, mapped from an assessment rather than a fixed routine.

Details+
Every condition we help with
The NLC Experience

Why clients choose NLC.

Founder Sharon M. Vogel has spent more than three decades devoted to lymphatic drainage. A Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Lymphedema Therapist and Board-Certified in Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (LMT, CLT, BCTMB), she developed the Vogel Method and founded National Lymphatic Centers in 1991. Today her team of certified therapists carries that same standard across three clinics in Chicago's western suburbs: Hinsdale, Downers Grove and Joliet.

Real Results

Real stories, real reviews.

Client stories shared with consent. Every experience is individual, and results vary from person to person.

Lymphedema

Lymphedema

Client story

1,000+ reviews across Google, MassageBook, Yelp, Healthgrades & BBB
Read all reviews
In their words

Our clients do not come just once.

★★★★★
Google

The Vogel Method is the only manual lymphatic massage that has decreased my joint swelling and improved my quality of life. I am willing to drive over an hour to see Sharon and team. She keeps my vertigo and joint swelling at bay.

Mary H.
Google · joint swelling & vertigo · May 2026
★★★★★
Google

The swelling in my leg was reduced by an inch in circumference, from 19 inches to 18. Not as tight, not as heavy. Abdul made sure he explained the procedure and that I understood how the lymphatic system functions.

Paul S.
Google · post-surgical leg swelling · May 2026
★★★★★
Google

Had a post-op lymphatic massage with Sharon. It definitely helped my pain and recovery. Highly recommend for post-surgical needs. I've visited both the Downers Grove and Hinsdale locations and loved both places.

Crystal B.
Google · post-op recovery · Mar 2026

Recommended by physicians and surgeons. No referral required.

Booking & Insurance

Reserve your Complete Decongestive Therapy visit.

Appointments

No referral needed.

Choose a therapist and a time that works for you, at any of our three Illinois clinics. Same-specialty care, whether it is your first visit or your tenth.

Complete Decongestive Therapy cost
Insurance & reimbursement

A self-pay clinic, with a superbill for your insurer.

We do not bill insurance directly. For medically necessary lymphatic therapy, we provide an itemized superbill you can submit to your insurer for possible reimbursement. Coverage varies by plan, so check with your provider.

Have questions about referrals or reimbursement? Our front desk is happy to help. 630-828-6582

FAQ

Complete Decongestive Therapy: Common Questions

Start here

Book your Complete Decongestive Therapy assessment.

No referral needed. Book online at the clinic nearest you and we will start with a full assessment and a baseline set of measurements. Self-pay, with HSA and FSA accepted.