What does the day-to-day work of lymphatic drainage therapists look like?

Lymphatic drainage therapists often have their own practice or work in fitness centers, wellness hotels or massage practices. They treat people who suffer from swelling of the lymphatic vessels after operations or accidents, or people who hope that strengthening the lymphatic system will alleviate their complaints such as migraines, digestive problems or venous disorders. Lymphatic drainage treatment can also be used as a preventative measure to help reduce stress and strengthen the immune system.

Treatment usually begins with a preliminary consultation to determine the patient's general health situation, current complaints and wishes. The actual treatment then takes place while the patient is lying down and consists of a finely dosed massage of the subcutaneous tissue to stimulate lymphatic drainage. The removal of tissue fluid is supported with various pumping, rotating and circular movements. If indicated, the decongestive effect is prolonged and intensified by subsequent bandaging.

Target group and skills: Who is the manual lymph drainage training course suitable for? What qualities and skills are required?

The manual lymphatic drainage training course with a "school certificate" is aimed at the following target groups:

• Professionals with a basic medical profession (e.g. beautician EFZ)
• Alternative practitioners, body therapists
• Physiotherapists

The following qualities are required for successful work as a lymphatic drainage therapist:

• Sense of hygiene, cleanliness and order
• Craftsmanship
• Enjoy dealing with people
• No fear of contact
• Medical interest
• Empathy and sensitivity
• Sense of responsibility
• Tolerance
• If you have your own practice: economic skills to run your own business

Prerequisites for admission to manual lymph drainage training:

As a rule, manual lymphatic drainage training is open to all interested persons. No specific previous training or professional experience is required.

Some schools require the following points for admission:

• Age of majority
• Apprenticeship qualification with federal certificate of proficiency (EFZ) or several years of professional experience
• Sufficient knowledge of German

Good to know:

As there are no protected professional designations or titles in the field of lymphatic drainage, it is important to prove your own seriousness and professional competence in some other way. This is usually done by registering with the ASCA and/or the EMR and/or by becoming a member of an association.

• Admission to the Swiss Specialist Association for Manual Lymphatic Drainage (SFML) is on application if the requirements profile corresponds to the EMR (Experience Medicine Register). Here you will find allInfo.
• For inclusion in the ASCA (Swiss Foundation for Complementary Medicine) and/or EMR register, at least 150 hours of basic knowledge (conventional medical knowledge / "medical basics") and at least 150 hours of specialist training are required.

Input: Why is registration in the ASCA and/or EMR registry important?

Both the ASCA and the EMR are quality labels for activities in complementary medicine. They both maintain a so-called list of methods, which specifies how many hours of basic medical training and specialist training (method) must be completed in order to be registered with the ASCA and/or EMR.

Many health insurance companies are based on the ASCA and EMR. This means that therapists who are registered with the ASCA and/or EMR can often work in a way that is recognized by health insurance companies. But beware! This is not always the case.

More and more health insurance companies are demanding an industry certificate or a federal diploma from professional organizations (OdA AM, OdA KT, OdA MM, ODA ARTECURA, Swiss Association of Osteopaths FSO-SVO) in order to be able to work in a way that is recognized by health insurance companies. This will continue to increase in the future.

Subject matter and content of the training

The subject matter of a manual lymph drainage training course is determined independently by the schools; this can therefore vary.

The following topics are often covered in the course:

• Basics of manual lymphatic drainage (origin, history and development)
• Anatomy and physiology as well as diseases (muscle theory, skin structure and skin functions, lymphatic vessels, edema, etc.)
• Principles, concepts, effect and purpose of the treatment (stimulation of the lymph vessels, removal of excess tissue fluid, stimulation of the immune system, etc.).
• Treatment structure (anamnesis, diagnostics, communication)
• Massage techniques (grip types, massage products, etc.)
• Indicators, contraindicators and limits of treatment

Note: Courses that also include the "Medical Basics" (as a prerequisite for admission to the ASCA and/or EMR register) usually deal with these in a separate module.

Costs and financing of further training

How much a manual lymphatic drainage course costs is determined by the schools themselves. The costs can therefore vary from provider to provider.

You can expect the following costs for a part-time specialist course lasting between 5 and 12 months:

• Course feesBetween CHF 4950.- and CHF 9000.-, which usually also includes theExamination feeincluded.

Note: There are also so-called introductory or in-depth courses that last a few days and cost less: between CHF 710 and CHF 3000.

But be careful with introductory courses if you want to register with the ASCA and/or the EMR! You may not be able to complete the required 150 hours of specialist training.

• Some providers requireExtra costsfor
  • Teaching aids
  • Training documents

Please contact the provider of your choice directly for information on possible extra costs.

Course structure, duration of study, training options, teaching format and learning effort

• StructureManual lymphatic drainage training is generally designed to be part-time and has a modular structure. This means that each module is taken and completed individually.
• DurationThe duration of specialist courses in the field of lymphatic drainage varies greatly and depends on the provider, range and level: As a rule, courses last between five and twelve months.
• VariantsWhen the lessons take place is decided by the schools themselves. Some courses offer lessons two days a week and on selected Saturdays. Others only offer lessons one day a week. Others also offer intensive variants.
• Teaching formatManual lymphatic drainage training generally takes place in face-to-face classes. Depending on the situation, theory lessons can be offered in online lessons or hybrid lessons.
• Learning effort: You should allow sufficient time for preparation and follow-up of the lessons and for self-study - how much depends on your previous knowledge, working style and learning speed. We recommend that you allow at least 4-6 hours per week as a precaution.

Degree, diploma and title

Those who have successfully passed all modules of the manual lymph drainage training course are admitted to the final examination.

As a rule, the final examination consists of two parts: a theoretical and a practical part. In the practical part, a manual lymphatic drainage massage treatment must be performed on a client in front of the experts.

Diploma and title

Successful graduates receive a certificate / diploma from the respective school: "Lymphatic drainage therapist [name of school]" or "Manual lymphatic drainage [name of school]" or "Graduate lymphatic drainage therapist [name of school]".