Relaxation seems like a luxury ill-afforded in our busy, filled-to-the-brim lives. But it shouldn’t be. Stress affects us in so many ways internally and externally. However it manifests–in neck tension, headaches, jaw dysfunction, poor circulation to our reproductive, immune, and digestive systems, overall lethargy, or poor sleep–stress impacts most everyone. The good news is, massage can help. Massage can help you to relax and stimulate your body’s natural tendency to restore balance and heal itself.
Massage can also address specific issues and even specific phases in your life. For example, if you are an expectant mother, prenatal massage can help relieve muscle spasms, reduce swelling, gently increase circulation, and provide mothers-to-be with much-needed moment of calm and healing care.
Other issues suitable for treatment through massage include (but are not limited to):
- Neck and shoulder tension
- Headaches
- Low back pain
- General pain or discomfort in muscles throughout the body
- Lack of range of motion
- Trigger points in muscles that may refer pain to other areas
- A general feeling of sluggishness and lack of energy
Amber specializes in full-body relaxation and tension-releasing massage. She works slowly and attentively. Amber’s style of massage is particularly suited to people who want reduce the effects of stress on their body, increase relaxation, and decrease chronic and subacute pain caused by muscle strain, tension, and trigger points.
Amber Himes, LMT #14056 is licensed by the Oregon Board of Massage Therapists to practice massage in the State of Oregon. She specializes in relaxing therapeutic massage using techniques and approaches inspired by Swedish, Deep Tissue, Trigger Point, Tui Na and acupressure massage and bodywork.
She is currently practicing privately out of SW Portland/Raleigh Hills on Wednesdays and in North Portland through Edge Performance Fitness on Ainsworth and Interstate Avenue throughout the rest of the week. Call 503-319-7258 for further details about availability and to make an appointment. She may also be reached via e-mail at amber AT amberhimesmassage DOT com or through this contact form.
Probably the #1 complaint I hear from my clients is, “I have tight neck and shoulders.” Sitting is usually the culprit: sitting at a computer, driving long distances, or flying in a plane for hours. While information about ergonomic positioning for computer work is readily available, most people won’t take the time to have someone do an ergonomic assessment of their working posture. This can be as simple as asking someone to take your picture of you at your workstation from several angles and looking at where your body is out of balance, askew, or generally in a non-neutral position. 