Three Good Reasons to Seek out an Oregon Massage Therapist

• Stress
• Lower Back Pain
• Sore Muscles

Massage can do so much for you whether you’re stressed out from work, dealing with lower back pain or feeling really sore from that hardcore workout you did yesterday at the gym. Let’s take a look at the three main reasons people in the Northwest go to an Oregon massage therapist.

We all get stressed out from time to time and that’s perfectly normal, but when you're dealing with constant daily stress levels that reach high levels it becomes time to seek healthy ways to release all of that built up tension and anger. One good alternative of course, is massage. So let’s talk about why massage is a good option for stress relief.

Did you know that when you are stressed out your body will react with chemicals. When you are under constant pressure your body produces a chemical called cortisol. Cortisol is the chemical that helps trigger the fight-or-flight response when you are in a life-threatening situation. This is good to have if you really are in a dangerous situation, but if your stress comes from being overworked or dealing with unresolved personal issues your body is likely under constant stress and that results in excess amounts of cortisol in your body. Too much cortisol in your body can cause severe anxiety making you feel on edge all the time and you end up being a cranky grouch.

A good massage will help reduce the amount of cortisol in your body by up to 50% making you feel relaxed and at ease again. It’s amazing when I see people a few days after their massage. They are so happy and calm. It’s like seeing a new person again. What’s even better is that massage helps your body create the feel good chemicals known as serotonin and dopamine. The result is a more cheery and relaxed you.

Back pain can be a result of many factors, but the most common type of pain associated with the need for a professional massage is lower back pain. In some cases but not all, lower back pain can be caused by the two muscles known as quadratus lumborum and gluteus medius. If these muscles get strained in any way, shape, or form the pain can be pretty severe and long lasting if not taken care of as soon as possible. Most often you’ll notice the resulting pain when you are lifting something, leaning over to pick something up, or slouching down in a chair.

The best thing you can do when you first notice chronic or severe lower back pain is to consult with a specialist to determine the cause of your lower back pain. You may want to get two or three opinions on this. Most often massage is going to be one of the best treatment options for your lower back pain. A long term maintenance approach may be necessary to help you to stay more active without the severe pain. This could help reduce the need for anti-inflammatory medications.

Most of us have probably experienced extreme muscle soreness from a good workout or doing any type of labor intensive job all day long. This is completely normal but definitely not a pleasant feeling either. The recommended massage for really sore muscles is a traditional swedish massage as it helps to stimulate blood and lymph circulation which brings in oxygenated blood to your tender areas. Deep tissue massage may not be good when your muscles are super sore because it may cause minor muscle spasms.

Massage not only works your muscles on a physical level, it also acts on the cellular level the same way pain medications do except without all the possible side effects. On a physical level massage will help loosen your stiff muscles and increase circulation to where it needs to go. This in turn will help your muscles recover a lot faster. On a cellular level massage can reduce the pain by reducing inflammation and stimulating your cells. This will promote faster muscle growth with less healing time needed.