Massage is the first step in alternative modalities

Massage is a great place to start on your path toward healing, especially after an injury that affects your mobility and leaves lingering discomfort and pain.

An affordable, effective approach
Working with a Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT), you can achieve results after only one treatment.

• Massage provides soothing, inflammation-reducing results that will improve your condition and decrease your pain.
• Massage also reduces your need for prescription pain relievers and muscle relaxants.
• While medications may alleviate your symptoms for a short period of time, they are not designed to correct your situation.
• As an alternative, many massage patients schedule monthly “maintenance massages” as a great way to promote long-term health.

Working with Restorative Massage PDX

As your massage therapist, I create a trusting relationship that will allow you to receive the greatest benefit. Beyond massage, I encourage patients to utilize additional healing modalities when necessary, including chiropractic care, acupuncture, physical therapy, and personal training.

For many people, massage is a new concept that doesn’t fit the Western medical model. I will provide you with as much information as possible, and work at your pace so you can approach you pain, injury or discomfort from new directions. My goal is to help you heal and maintain health in as natural and comfortable a way as possible.

I will spend as much time with you during your session as necessary, and help you construct a healing plan that takes into account your condition, your schedule, other healing you are doing, and any financial or insurance concerns. Some people experience instant results after one hour-long massage, while for others, the greatest improvements do not begin until after three or four sessions.

A Look at Collaborative Care

Below is an example of how, when working with a team of practitioners, including a LMT, you can approach healing an injury. In this model, each practitioner is a cog in your personal wheel of healing, and a great referral resource in your quest for optimum health.

1. Initial massage session.
Usually an hour in duration and tailored to your needs.

2. Massage therapist recommends that you return within the week to follow up.
(Most people heal quicker when appointments are spaced closer together, especially in the first couple of sessions.)

3. After two massage sessions, you are improving steadily. You have set the goal to participate in an upcoming event, and would like to be pain-free and back to your training schedule as soon as possible.

4. After our third session, I refer you to an acupuncturist and chiropractic professional, either of whom can help speed along your healing.

5. Working with the referred chiropractor, you learn more about your injury and receive further care related to the skeletal tissue (joints) and soft tissue (muscles).

6. You see the chiropractor three more times, then return to Restorative Massage PDX in order to resolve remaining symptoms in the soft tissue.

7. Your symptoms have improved 90%, and you are beginning to return to your training with almost no pain and discomfort.

8. You are able to perform pre-injury activities with no symptoms. We schedule monthly maintenance massages as a way to continue your prolonged health, greater flexibility, improved awareness of tight muscles, reduced inflammation and overall relaxation.

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The massages performed by Sheila Custer as a member of the AMTA American Massage Therapy Association, are in accordance with the Oregon Board of Massage Therapists. License #5372.