Try A Hot Stone Massage - Let The Lava Melt Your Pain Away

By Fiona Bryland

If you think you have tried the very best in massages, wait till you try the hot stone massage. As you lie on the table and let the heat of the stones soak in, you will experience an un-knotting of nerves and stress points like you have never felt before. A hot stone massage, even if there is no actual massage is an exquisite experience that stretches over time. It has tremendous health benefits and is extremely relaxing. Why is the massage so successful?

The Black Magic Of Basalt

A hot stone massage, to begin with, involves stones that have been heated in water at around 115° to 120° Fahrenheit. Now this is slightly hotter than warm but nowhere hot enough to burn or to make you uncomfortable. The stones used are basalt, which is a polished black rock that is formed when lava solidifies on a volcano. Since basalt has its origins in lava, it is obvious that this rock can retain considerable heat. Basalt can also be polished very smooth and this makes it very comfortable to use on the body.

The therapist heats the stones in a bath of hot water maintained at 115° to 120° as mentioned earlier. The stones have to be immersed in the hot water for a considerable period so that the heat permeates all through it. The stones vary in size from mere pebbles of the size of marbles to larger ones that weigh more than three pounds. Now once you are ready, the therapist will take the stones out using a perforated spoon and will place them on the various pressure and stress points of your body. The marble sized ones go between your fingers and toes, the larger ones are placed on your torso and the leg, thigh, palm etc.

Let The Heat Heal You

Once the stones are placed, the heat slowly ebbs out of them and warms up the stress points of your body. Slowly, as the warmth permeates, you will find that the tension flows away and a gentle feeling of well-being is experienced. For really tight muscle spots, the therapist will gently knead her subject with the stones to get the heat to sink in faster and the pain and discomfort will often reduce dramatically.

Many people who cannot withstand the deep and powerful kneading associated with traditional massage prefer having a stone massage because if you want, the entire massage can be done by the weight of the warm stones passively resting on your body.

A hot stone massage has been found to be exceptionally useful in reducing anxiety and helps its recipients become more calm and relaxed. It has been shown to improve blood circulation and control panic attacks. However, the heat has, once in a while raised blood pressure temporarily, hence therapists advice pregnant women or those with hypertension to avoid this therapy.

This revolutionary new technique has helped thousands fight physical disorders and has changed the way they live. Even for those suffering from nothing more serious than everyday, work related fatigue, it has brought great comfort and relaxation. After a day spent fighting the world, we all could do with a nice hot stone massage.

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