Hot Stone Massage
By Jessica, November 21, 2007
Hot Stone Massage is a special form of massage therapy that uses smooth, heated stones to release tight muscles and encourage a deeply soothing, relaxing experience.
During a Hot Stone Massage, heated smooth, flat stones may be placed on key points of the body, such as along your spine, on the palms of your hands or between your toes, to increase the flow of energy through your body. The massage therapist may also hold the heated stones and use them to massage certain areas of the body.
The hot stones will be sanitized and heated before the Hot Stone Massage. The heat from the stones helps to reduce pain or discomfort, as well as boost the healing process. When the stone cools down, the massage therapist will replace it with another hot stone. Heated Chakra stones are believed to align and balance energy levels in the body.
Hot Stone Massage is an effective natural treatment as heated stones expand the blood vessels, helping blood to move faster around the body. The heat also warms and relaxes the muscles, which allows the therapist to apply deeper pressure, if desired.
In certain cases, cold stones may also be used to help muscular injury and inflammation. The application of cold stones stimulates the nervous system by causing the blood vessels to contract and increasing the lymph flow of waste materials round the body.
The stone used in a Hot Stone Massage is often basalt, a black volcanic rock that absorbs and retains heat well.
