Benefits of hot stone massage
- Heat is used to relax the tissues
- Heat increases circulation
- Client reaches deep state of relaxation in much less time
- Tends to balance the body by opening meridians and chakra
The stones used for hot stone massage are balsite rocks (volcanic), containing a fair amount of metals. These metals give the stone mass, and as such, they retain heat long enough to be useful for massage. The stones are naturally shaped and smoothed, providing a pleasing heft and feeling in the hand and on the skin.
The idea is to convey the heat from the stones to the underlying body structure. This technique causes the underlying tissues to warm up and relax, making the massage strokes much more effective. The warmth also is quite pleasant to the recipient, helping in relaxation, and dialating blood vessels for much better circulation in the area.
Typically, the massage takes place on a massage table, with the appropriate application of the hot stones.
The hot stone technique can also be used elswhere, such are chair massage or Ashiatsu bar therapy.
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