What is a Hot Stone Massage?

A hot stone massage can be one of the most relaxing indulgences you can take. Imported from Sweden it is fast growing in popularity throughout the world.

Although the hot stone massage is a relatively new technique it is one that has gained a lot of favor from those who practice its healing powers. It is fast challenging the restorative power of the full body massage in terms of popularity in the world of relaxation. A hot stone massage, first developed in Sweden, is just what it sounds like, the use of hot stones used in addition to a more traditional massage to help relieve stress and relieve tight aching muscles.

A hot stone massage is different then a more traditional full body massage or a therapeutic massage in that it requires a more gentle touch and in some cases the therapist may not even touch you, other then to position the hot stones. The nice thing about this type of massage is that it doesn’t hurt, unlike other forms of massage that require deep and sometimes painful kneading. This makes it perfect for those whose pain threshold may not be very high.

Hot stone massages can vary depending on the massage therapist and the needs of their client, but this is mainly dependent on the training the masseuse has had in the techniques they have studied. The hot stones themselves are always the same, basalt stones that have the ability to retain their heat for the length of the massage. The stones are heated up to nearly one hundred and twenty degrees before they are applied.

After he stones have been heated to the proper temperature the stones are strategically placed on the body parts where they will have the most benefit. Body parts such as the arms and legs will have lighter stones placed on them while the heavier three to five pound stones will be placed on the torso. After the heat from the stones has penetrated into the muscles the therapist will usually begin rubbing a stone over their clients’ body, stopping to work those areas that are unusually tight or tense. Of course if the therapist and client prefer a hot stone massage can be done without any rubbing and accomplished by just allowing the heat from the stones to do all the work.