The lymphatic drainage massage, as performed by the woman in the video, helps reduce bloating in just five minutes
Bloating is among the most common issues people, especially women, face daily. It is a sensation of fullness, tightness, or swelling in the abdomen caused by excess gas or fluid retention. Bloating is very uncomfortable and sometimes, even painful. Often a result of excess gas in the intestines, doctors suggest eating a nutritious diet and staying hydrated to reduce it. However, there is also a five-minute massage that can help.
What massage helps debloat quickly?
In a social media video shared by a UK-based doctor, a woman can be seen massaging her bloated tummy to bring it down.
According to NHS surgeon Dr. Karan Rajan, the lymphatic drainage massage, as performed by the woman in the video, helps reduce bloating in just five minutes.
What is a lymphatic drainage massage?
As shown in the video, the woman suggests doing the massage while lying down with the help of a tiny dollop of coconut oil, which she massages to open up the lymph nodes located between the hip bones.
You need to press them lightly 15-20 times in a rainbow motion and downward sliding motion. It helps get the toxins moving through the intestines and to move water in your lymph nodes.
A lymphatic drainage massage is a gentle form of massaging that helps reduce inflammation, which causes lymphedema. Doctors say usually, your lymphatic system collects your lymph and returns it to your vessels and nodes. However, when something disrupts the process, lymph collects in your arms, legs, ankles, or other parts of your body, making them swell.
Lymphatic massage then helps move lymph from your tissues to your lymph nodes, which eases the swelling.
“If you suffer from bloating and gas, this massage might give your bowels a happy ending. If you begin your massage in the lower right-hand corner of your abdomen, near the inside of your hipbone, this corresponds to the beginning of your ascending colon. While maintaining firm pressure, massage up the right-hand side of your abdomen, tracing along the path of the large intestine,” Dr. Karan explained in the video.
He also suggested doing this massage in the morning when your bowels are active. “This can be a medication-free way to help with bloating symptoms because it not only helps to manually move your bowel motions along, like squeezing the last bit of toothpaste out of a tube, but it also mimics peristalsis—that's the wave-like contractions of your intestines,” he added.
Other ways to reduce bloating
According to experts, you may need a few lifestyle adjustments to combat bloating, a few of which include:
- Eating smaller and more frequent meals
- Staying hydrated throughout the day
- Engaging in regular physical activity like cardio and strength training
- Consider a few dietary changes like reducing intake of foods that trigger gas and incorporating foods that aid digestion, like peppermint tea.
- Techniques like abdominal massage and mindful eating can help alleviate bloating.
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