Discovering the Benefits of Massage Therapy in Portland, Oregon

Are you looking for a way to relieve stress and pain? This therapy might be just what you need. IMMERSE offers a range of services that can help you feel better physically and mentally. This page will act as an informational source for all of the different types you can find in Portland, Oregon.

What is Massage Therapy?

Massage therapists use different types of massage as a form of complementary and alternative medicine that uses various techniques to manipulate soft tissues, muscles and skin. It is used to reduce pain, stress, and tension in the body in daily life. It can be an effective treatment especially when combined with physical therapy, chiropractic care and integrative medicine. As well as the physical benefits, psychological benefits include improved serotonin and dopamine for overall well-being and regulation of other neurotransmitters as well.

Different Styles of Massage Therapy Techniques:

Swedish

A Swedish massage therapist uses light pressure and long strokes, kneading, circular massage techniques on the entire body and skin. It often consists of rhythmic pressure help promote relaxation, improve blood flow, the immune system, and relieve tension in muscles. Swedish is often the foundation for different types of massage such as chair massage.

Deep Tissue

A deep tissue massage therapist uses a more intense type  of therapy that targets layers of muscles and connective tissue using deep pressure. Combined with trigger point, this type of massage can be an effective treatment to treat chronic pain, muscle injuries, and postural problems. Deep tissue can be a gentle massage therapy as well.

Sports

A sports massage therapist performs massage techniques for athletes and active individuals. It uses a combination of techniques to help prevent and treat sports injury, improve performance, blood flow, and enhance recovery for muscles.

Myofascial Release

Myofascial release is a treatment for the fascia, which is the connective tissue between organs and that separates muscles. This can greatly increase overall health, range of motion, and decrease pain and discomfort.

Hot Stone

Hot stone massage involves the use of smooth, heated stones to warm and loosen tight muscles. It can help promote relaxation and relieve pain and tension. Hot stone massage applied to the skin can be combined with many different types of massage.

hot stone massage

 

Trigger Point

Trigger point massage deals with certain points in the nervous system, specifically that can create pain in other areas of the body or locally. Trigger points are often also known as “muscle knots”. These trigger points can cause radiating pain and can when treated, is an effective treatment. Trigger points found in tendons and muscles are deactivated by certain types of pressure, which is what these articles cover.

Ashiatsu

Ashiatsu uses the therapist’s feet instead of their hands to apply pressure to the client’s body and muscles. It can be particularly effective for treating back pain and tension.

ashiatsu massage portland

Aromatherapy Massage

Aromatherapy massage is a treatment that uses essential oils for their physical benefits. Specific essential oils can help the immune system by moving lymph fluids as well as tension headaches. Essential oils can be applied across the whole body to improve sleep and feel relaxed. Aromatherapy can be combined with many types of massage.

Prenatal

Chinese Medicine

chinese medicine massage

Shiatsu Massage

Foot Reflexology Massage

Reflexology is a type of manual therapy that deals with health conditions by seeing the foot as a map for all of the organs of the body. Typically you sit in a specially designed chair so that you can lay back and receive massage on trigger points of the foot. Reflexology massage targets specific reflex points that is similar to trigger point massage to relieve tension throughout your body’s entire system.

 

Craniosacral Massage

Geriatric Massage

Massage For Specific Conditions

Benefits of Massage Therapy

This therapy can provide a range of physical and mental health benefits, including:

  • Relieving muscle tension and soreness

  • Reducing stress and anxiety

  • Improving circulation and lymphatic drainage

  • Enhancing flexibility and range of motion

  • Reducing the symptoms of depression and anxiety

  • Improving sleep quality

  • Treat discomfort if you have a chronic health condition

When Should You Get a Massage?

There are several situations where this therapy may be particularly beneficial:

  • After a long day at work or a strenuous workout

  • If you have chronic pain or tension

  • If you are recovering from an injury

  • If you have poor posture or back pain

  • If you experience high levels of stress or anxiety

Finding the Right Therapist in Portland

If you’re interested in trying massage therapy, it’s important to find the right massage therapist for your needs. Immerse in Portland, Oregon, offers a range of services and has a team of experienced and knowledgeable massage therapists to help you find the right treatment.

The American Massage Therapy Association also has many more tips to find traditional massage, lymphatic drainage massage, and has conducted randomized controlled trials using control groups to study various health conditions. They also have done a systematic review of labor statistics

Sources for facts on this page:

Weerapong, P., Hume, P. A., & Kolt, G. S. (2005).
The mechanisms of massage and effects on performance, muscle recovery and injury prevention. Sports Medicine, 
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15730338/

Crane, J. D., Ogborn, D. I., Cupido, C., Melov, S., Hubbard, A., Bourgeois, J. M., & Tarnopolsky, M. A. (2012).
Massage therapy attenuates inflammatory signaling after exercise-induced muscle damage
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22301554/

David G Behm 1, Ashley Peach, Meaghan Maddigan, Saied Jalal Aboodarda, Mario C DiSanto, Duane C Button, Nicola A Maffiuletti. 
Massage and stretching reduce spinal reflex excitability without affecting twitch contractile properties. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23770003/

Hopper, D., Deacon, S., Das, S., & Jain, A. (2005). 

Dynamic soft tissue mobilization increases hamstring flexibility in healthy male subjects. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16118294

Wilke, J., Schleip, R., Klingler, W., & Stecco, C. (2017). 

The lumbodorsal fascia as a potential source of low back pain: A narrative review. BioMed Research International, 2017,  

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28584816/

University of Illinois at Chicago .Massage therapy improves circulation and exercise performance.   https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/04/140416125434.htm

Field, T., Hernandez-Reif, M., Diego, M., Schanberg, S., & Kuhn, C. (2005). 

Cortisol decreases and serotonin and dopamine increase following massage therapy. International Journal of Neuroscience, 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16162447/

Other Massage Therapy Resources: