Massage Therapy Overview

Therapeutic massage, manipulating body tissue with the hands, heals muscles and promotes better circulation. First used over 3,000 years ago by the Chinese, massage therapy was a mainstay among other ancient cultures, including the Greeks, Japanese, Egyptians, Romans and Arabs. A Swedish gymnastics instructor, Per Henrik Ling, developed modern massage therapy in the early 19th century. The Swedish method combined exercise with massage to treat joint and muscle pain. In the 1850s, George and Charles Taylor, two brothers who studied massage in Sweden, brought this method to the U.S. Today it is a common treatment technique.

Three types of hand movements are used by massage therapists. Stroking, which can be light or hard, is meant to relax muscles and improve circulation. Compression—including kneading, squeezing and friction—stretches muscles and tendons to facilitate movement. Percussion, repeatedly striking the massage point with the sides of the hands, improves circulation. Massage therapy is effective for patients who suffer a range of conditions from arthritis to paralysis. It is often used to relieve pain and reduce swelling.

Massage Therapists in Portland

Carolyn Ehringhaus LMT Massage Therapist	send email
"Hello. My name is Carolyn. I specialize in reducing acute or chronic pain conditions, treating sports or work-related overuse conditions or injuries, facilitating relaxation to reduce stress (including hospital oncology massage), and ..." See full profile	222 St. John St Suite 242 Portland, Maine 04102 (207) 899-8142
Elizabeth Jackson LMT, RMT Massage Therapist	send email
"If you are under constant STRESS and you are seeking relief from chronic PAIN such as Back Pain, Headaches, TMJ, Shoulder & Neck Pain, Arthritis, Hot Flashes, Sciatica, or Muscle Tension & ..." See full profile	94 Auburn Street Suite 106 Portland, Maine 04103 (207) 878-3003
Margaret Melanson LMT Massage Therapist	send email
"Are you feeling out of touch? Reconnect..with yourself. Find your peace, creativity, ease of movement, freedom from pain. I can help. Taking care of yourself is not a luxury. Give me a ..." See full profile	142 High St Loft 601H Portland, Maine 04101 (207) 899-7115
Blue Dixon LMT, NCTMB Massage Therapist	send email
"Seeking balance in your life? Experiencing chronic pain? Training in both Eastern & Western healing arts forms allows me to offer a wide range of services to the whole family, including newborns and ..." See full profile	8113 SE 13th St Suite 16 Portland, Oregon 97202 (503) 234-0571
Stephanie Glass LMT Massage Therapist	send email
"I would be honored to create a massage especially for you. I feel that each massage should be unique for each person. I have been in practice since 1999 and have gained ..." See full profile	6555 N Fenwick Avenue Portland, Oregon 97217 (503) 880-8905
Rosemary Kenny Cairns LMT, NCTMB Massage Therapist	send email
"My Portland office is within minutes of downtown and overlooks the beautiful Casco Bay. Come see me for a caring, comforting, professional massage that is effective, life-enhancing & gratifying. " See full profile	30 Windsor Terrace Portland, Maine 04103 (207) 774-1931
Amber Spradlin BA, LMT Massage Therapist	send email
"I work with active people to keep them moving strong. Whether your injury is big or small, find out what it takes to resolve the problem at spradlinbodyworks.com. Are you looking for ..." See full profile	1033 SW Yamhill St. Suite 401 Portland, Oregon 97205 (503) 888-0708
Gina C James LMT Massage Therapist	send email
"Gina draws upon her expertise as a licensed massage therapist, Reiki master and Spiritual Director to gently guide people to reconnect with their inner wisdom, creativity and joy. Gina"s work transforms challenged ..." See full profile	2538 NE Broadway Suite C Portland, Oregon 97232 (503) 282-8600
David Jacob LMT Massage Therapist	send email
"Offering Integrative Deep Tissue Massage and Craniosacral Work since 2001. " See full profile	5406 SE 45th Ave Portland, Oregon 97206 (503) 522-5550
Pamela A Monroe LMT Massage Therapist	send email
"Ms. Monroe is a liscensed massage therapist and certified ayurvedic therapist. She has studied and practiced Ayurvedic therapies, NMT, Deep Tissue, Craniel Sacral and Energy balancing to integrate and suit people's needs. ..." See full profile	1320 NW 23rd Avenue Portland, Oregon 97210 (503) 764-2306

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