Johanna Tossavainen: LymphaTouch is gentle yet effective

Johanna Tossavainen is an experienced physiotherapist based in Turku, Finland. She works at her own practice, Yhdessä Terapiapalvelut, and at the private healthcare provider Mehiläinen. Yhdessä Terapiapalvelut was founded by three physiotherapists and offers therapy and coaching services for every stage of life, from infants, children and adolescents to women during pregnancy, after childbirth and through menopause.

Tossavainen's clients come from a wide range of areas, including women's health, musculoskeletal physiotherapy, pain management and psychophysical physiotherapy. Before LymphaTouch she relied on a broad range of manual techniques. Since adding the device to her practice, she has seen a clear change in both treatment outcomes and her own work. It helps her put one of her key principles into practice: to help each client as efficiently as possible, on their terms.

“My aim is to make myself unnecessary to the client and give them the support and help they need as quickly as possible. LymphaTouch is an invaluable tool for that.”

Easy to adopt, and clients quickly trust it

According to Tossavainen, getting started with LymphaTouch was straightforward. She first used it for scar treatment, and over time it found its place in more and more situations. Her clients were trusting from the start.

“When I discuss device treatment with a client, I often mention that it's Finnish health technology. But I think what has really built their trust is that I had strong confidence in the device from the very beginning.”

Today, many of her clients ask for LymphaTouch by name, and it is part of her work every day.

“I'd say about 30% of my clients get some kind of treatment with LymphaTouch.”

Visible results with a gentle touch

Tossavainen has found that LymphaTouch has significantly sped up recovery, for example in the treatment of scars, swelling and muscle tension. Scar treatment that used to take five sessions can now be done in two or three. Clients see the change in their bodies and feel it in how the treatment goes, which also strengthens their commitment to it.

“Clients look in the mirror and see how the scar has risen closer to the skin surface, and at the same time they feel how gentle the treatment was. That combination helps them relax and builds trust.”

She uses LymphaTouch to treat the masticatory muscles and the fascial structures of the neck, combining it with manual therapy. She finds it particularly useful for jaw problems (TMJ disorders), facial swelling and stress-related muscle tension.

“LymphaTouch brings gentleness and a sense of safety to the treatment, which is really important when a client is stressed or has symptoms such as jaw locking. It helps them relax.”

Strong feedback on jaw and facial treatment

Feedback after treatment of the masticatory muscles has been consistently positive. Problems caused by one-sided facial swelling or bite imbalance in particular ease visibly after just a few sessions.

“It's always a lovely moment when a client sees in the mirror how much their facial expression can change, even though the treatment feels so light. The swelling goes down, the jawline returns and facial asymmetry evens out after just a few sessions.”

Support for the therapist, too

LymphaTouch also helps Tossavainen cope with the physical demands of her work. She points out how important it is for therapists to spare their wrists, fingers and shoulders, especially when the work is repetitive and physically demanding.

“We use our own bodies a lot. Every little break for the hands matters. LymphaTouch does the treatment for me, gently and in a controlled way. That alone is a reason I recommend it to colleagues, along with the results: our bodies deserve care too. LymphaTouch is a real lifesaver for my hands.”

Tossavainen stresses that LymphaTouch complements the therapist's manual skills and strengthens them.

“I always use the device together with manual treatment and massage. The two reinforce each other's effect.”

Cancer rehabilitation deserves more attention

Tossavainen works in cancer rehabilitation and has noticed how often this client group is overlooked. For many clients who have been through cancer treatment, LymphaTouch has been a crucial help, especially with scars and swelling.

“One client had a scar on the neck after cancer surgery that was so tight they couldn't really turn their head at first. To the client's surprise, after just a few sessions the scar no longer restricted the movement at all. I see results like this every week.”

She believes that raising awareness of cancer rehabilitation and of what LymphaTouch can offer could help many people who would otherwise be left alone with their recovery.

A new direction in her career

For Tossavainen, LymphaTouch has also shaped her professional direction. It opened her eyes to the possibilities of cancer rehabilitation and inspired her to build her expertise in that area.

“LymphaTouch was actually the reason I wanted to specialise in cancer rehabilitation. It opened up new career paths and gave my work new meaning.”

What matters most to her is the feeling that she can help her clients in a versatile and effective way. LymphaTouch has brought tangible value to her treatments and made her work more meaningful.

“10 out of 10, I recommend it. It has brought more enthusiasm, variety and depth to my work. The feeling that I can really help my clients better is very important to me.”

Find out more about Johanna Tossavainen: @pelvicfysio and pelvicfysio.fi

Photos: Hanne Nurmi (@hannenurmiphotography)