Case studies

Real people, real recoveries, in their own words.

Every person who walks through our doors arrives with a different story. Here are some of them, shared with permission. Each one is a single patient’s experience, and each one starts the same way ours would start with you: a careful look at what is actually going on.

What you will find here

Stories from the table, told by the people who lived them.

The patients below let us record and share their experiences so others could see what this work looks like in real life. Some came to us after surgery, some with a lifelong condition, some simply worn down and unsure why. Their words are their own, and their results are their own. What one person experiences is a reflection of their body and their situation, and yours will be assessed on its own terms before any plan is made.

Read whichever story sounds closest to what you are facing. When you are ready, we would be glad to talk about yours.

Real patient stories

See the relief, in their words.

Real patients from our Hinsdale, Downers Grove, and Joliet clinics, in their own words. Choose a condition to see stories from patients like you.

  • Lymphedema: Lymphedema relief with lymph drainage: Kim's story
  • Lymphedema: Lymphedema after radiation: Joe's story
  • Swelling & Water Retention: Reduce swelling and water retention: Elisavet's story
  • Swelling & Water Retention: Visible results and less swelling: a client review
  • Swelling & Water Retention: Swelling relief: a real client review
  • Swelling & Water Retention: Recovery after serious infections and swollen joints: a patient's journey
  • Post-Surgical & Injury: Results from post-surgical swelling and injury
  • Post-Surgical & Injury: Reduced knee swelling and pain after lymphatic massage
  • Post-Surgical & Injury: Chronic swelling from sports and orthopedic injuries
  • Post-Surgical & Injury: Ankle swelling years after a bicycle injury
  • Pregnancy & Postpartum: Pregnancy swelling relief: a third-time mom's review
  • Lyme Disease: Lyme disease recovery with manual lymph drainage
  • Lyme Disease: Relief from Lyme disease symptoms with lymph drainage
  • Patient review: Audra Brown: a thoughtful, detailed review
  • Patient review: Rebin Roy: a fantastic experience with lymph drainage
  • Patient review: Does lymphatic drainage really work? Real results
  • Patient review: Janice: healing through lymphatic therapy
  • Patient review: Kary G. on Sharon's care
  • Patient review: Anita: ready to dance again after lymphatic drainage
  • Patient review: Michelle P.: lymph drainage relief
  • Patient review: Kathleen Heinz: a soothing, welcoming experience
  • Patient review: Thank you for the glowing five-star review!

Lymphedema relief with lymph drainage: Kim's story

Lymphedema after radiation: Joe's story

Reduce swelling and water retention: Elisavet's story

Visible results and less swelling: a client review

Swelling relief: a real client review

Recovery after serious infections and swollen joints: a patient's journey

The stories

Read the full journey behind each one.

Each card is one patient’s individual experience. Results vary from person to person, and every plan begins with an assessment of your own situation.

Lyme disease

Kristen's Story: Living with Lyme Disease

After a Lyme diagnosis left her feeling like it was "the end of me," Kristen describes how gentle drainage and daily dry brushing became part of how she manages her days, as supportive care alongside her own medical care.

Read the full story
Pregnancy & postpartum

A Third-Time Mom on Pregnancy Swelling

Swelling had reached the point where walking hurt. She shares the relief she found in prenatal drainage, delivered with her doctor kept in the loop the whole way.

Read the full story
Post-surgical recovery

Life After Surgery: Diane and Jonathan

Two patients on what post-surgical drainage felt like during recovery, from the first sessions after their procedures through learning what they could keep up at home.

Read the full story
Lymphedema & lipedema

Living with Lymphedema and Lipedema: Kim and Joe

Kim on the difference she can feel session to session, and Joe on managing lymphedema that followed his radiation treatment. Two ongoing journeys, two individual experiences.

Read the full story
Injury & sports swelling

Injury and Sports Swelling

A swollen knee, a years-old ankle injury, and why a local physician refers patients with stubborn swelling for lymphatic work as part of their recovery.

Read the full story
Chronic conditions

Chronic Conditions and Everyday Relief

Three patients living with autoimmune conditions, long recoveries, and chronic symptoms describe, in their own words, what a steady course of care has meant for how they feel day to day.

Read the full story
Knowing it is working

How Do You Know It Is Working?

The question patients ask most. Val and Anita share the signs they noticed, and Sharon explains what to actually look for after a session.

Read the full story
Please read this

Every story here is one person’s experience.

We share these because they are real, and because hearing how someone else came through a similar situation can help. They are also personal. Lymphatic work is supportive care that helps fluid move, and it will not cure a medical condition. Some conditions need a physician’s involvement first, and severe cases belong in a hospital lymphedema clinic where emergency care is on hand. Whatever brought you here, your first visit is an assessment, and that is where we tell you honestly whether this work can help you.

Start here

Ready to talk about your story?

Call us and tell us what is going on. We will listen, ask a few questions, and say plainly whether lymphatic drainage can help, on its own or alongside your medical care. If it can, we will get you in at the clinic nearest you in Hinsdale, Downers Grove, or Joliet.