The Vogel Method · Since 1991

Post-Surgical Lymphatic Massage

After an operation, fluid pools in the healing area and the tightness can linger far longer than anyone warned you. Gentle post surgical lymphatic massage helps that fluid move toward the nodes that clear it, so swelling eases and recovery feels more comfortable. We begin once your surgeon clears you, and we coordinate the work around their guidance. Delivered by therapists trained in manual lymphatic drainage 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+
Post-Surgical Lymphatic Massage Process

What a post-surgical session looks like.

Keep good communication with your therapist as to the pressure and your comfort level. If you need a moment, a break, or just time for a deep breath, then just say it. We care about how you are handling things and want to support you through your health journey. Sessions follow your anatomy and your stage of healing, so no two plans look the same.

Step 01 · Clear
Your surgeon decides when it is safe to begin.

The most common question we get is when it is safe to start, and the honest answer is that your surgeon decides. Different procedures heal on different timelines, so clear post-operative massage with the surgeon who performed your procedure before your first session, and bring us whatever guidance they give you. Once you have that clearance, gentle drainage can often begin sooner than clients expect, because it is so light.

Details+
  • • Surgeon clearance before any hands-on work begins
  • • Bring us your surgeon's post-operative guidance
  • • Starting while swelling is active tends to help more than waiting
  • • Red flags such as hot, red, one-sided, sharp pain or fever go to your surgeon first
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.

Post-surgical recovery

Post-surgical recovery

Post-surgical recovery

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 Post-Surgical Lymphatic Massage 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.

Post-Surgical Lymphatic Massage 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

Post-Surgical Lymphatic Massage: Common Questions

Start here

Book your post-surgical drainage session.

Once your surgeon says you are healing the way you should, book online at the clinic nearest you. No referral needed. Self-pay, with HSA and FSA accepted.