A hot stone massage is more than a therapy for relaxation. It is a complete healing experience that helps restore your body’s natural balance, ease chronic tension, and calm the nervous system. It uses touch and warmth to melt away stress, relieve discomfort, or simply relax. Call ila Only Spa to find out if this treatment is the right fit for your wellness needs. Our skilled therapists will tell you how this holistic approach offers a soothing escape designed just for you and why you should get a hot stone massage.
Massages are a significant part of alternative medicine as they help fight various health problems. A hot stone massage is a powerful tool of this holistic approach and has become a popular spa treatment over the last few decades for various reasons.
It is a soothing treatment that combines the therapeutic benefits of traditional massage. The comforting warmth of heated stones delivers a unique and deeply relaxing experience that melts away tension, calms the mind, and nurtures the body.
While you may not have heard many people getting a hot stone massage, it is something you should try to see how it works for you. Experts consider a hot stone massage really effective and something that people should have at least once.
Read on to learn what hot stone massage therapy is, its benefits, how the process works, and why you should go for it.
What Is a Hot Stone Massage?
A hot stone massage is what the name implies, a massage performed with hot stones. The stones are warmed and placed on the specific parts of the body or massaged directly on the muscles for various therapeutic purposes. However, these are not just random or old stones. They are basalt stones or obsidian stones, a volcanic rock that retains heat well. These flat, smooth stones absorb heat for optimal massage effect.
A hot stone massage is a fabulously relaxing and indulgent way to relax, release tension, and achieve balance.
The stones are placed on different parts of the body, including:
- Chest
- Along your spine
- Face
- Stomach
- Palms
- Feet and toes
Massage therapists hold heated stones as they massage your body using techniques that include:
- Long strokes
- Circular movements
- Vibration
- Tapping
- Kneading
During the massage, your therapist will use different-sized stones depending on the strokes or the body part being worked on to ensure the best results. The stones are heated on a stone warmer to a safe, controlled temperature, ensuring they provide soothing warmth without causing discomfort. They are never heated to the point of burning the skin, but if you have sensitive skin or find them too hot, let your therapist know immediately.
Sometimes practitioners also use cold stones during a hot stone massage. Using cold stones after heated ones helps to calm any engorged blood vessels and soothes the skin. The goal is to help you achieve optimal relaxation and wellness.
Why should you go for a hot stone massage?
You should consider a hot stone massage if you:
- Feel physically or emotionally down or stressed
- Suffer from chronic muscle tension or pain
- Struggle with poor sleep or insomnia
- Seek a relaxing yet therapeutic experience
The stones are positioned along the sen lines, or energy pathways. When placed on the stiff muscles and moved in slow, rhythmic strokes, they help promote balance, enhance energy flow, and release tension throughout the body, resulting in complete relaxation. Studies also show that the weight of stones on your body can induce feelings of comfort and safety.
Related article: What Are the Health Benefits of a Hot Stone Massage?
Why You Should Get a Hot Stone Massage – Some Top Benefits
Here are some benefits of a hot stone massage that make it a great therapeutic treatment:
- Deep muscle relaxation – Massages can help relieve muscle tension. When combined with hot stones, a massage can warmup and loosen the muscles, making it easy for the therapist to relieve tightness and knots. This results in deep muscle relaxation.
- Pain relief – A hot stone massage works really well for people suffering from chronic pain, arthritis, fibromyalgia, or muscle spasms. The hot stones relax tight muscles, which reduces inflammation and improves blood flow, providing relief from discomfort.
- Improved circulation – Heat can enhance the circulation of blood, which helps deliver oxygen and essential nutrients to the muscles more effectively. This improved circulation supports the body’s natural healing process and promotes overall wellness.
- Reduced stress and anxiety – The calming effect of the heated stones, combined with therapeutic touch, can deeply relax the nervous system, ease mental tension, and reduce stress and anxiety.
- Better quality sleep – As it relaxes the muscles and eases tension, a hot stone massage can calm the mind and body, making it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep more deeply through the night.
- Increased range of motion – The comforting heat from the stones loosens tight muscles and connective tissues, which results in flexibility, improved joint mobility, and increased range of motion for better physical performance. It is most beneficial after injuries or intense physical activity.
- Removal of toxins – Increased circulation and lymphatic stimulation during a hot stone massage can flush toxins from the body, offering natural detoxification and overall wellness.
Hot Stone Massage Aftercare
Follow the right massage aftercare advice to ensure you get the best and prolonged results of this treatment.
- Drink plenty of water, as the heat makes you sweat and may cause dehydration. The movement of toxins can also be best managed by flushing water through your system.
- Limit alcohol and caffeine intake for at least 12 to 24 hours after getting a massage, as they can dehydrate the body and interfere with the detoxifying effects of the massage.
- Rest and give your body time to absorb the benefits of a massage, as your body has been deeply worked and needs to calm down.
- Take a warm shower to extend the soothing effects. A warm bath with Epsom salts can further help with muscle relaxation.
It is normal to feel sleepy, sore, or emotional after a deep massage. It will take some time for the effects of treatment to fully settle in. After a good rest, you will feel energized and recharged.
Whether you want to feel good or need to release deep stress and tension from your body, a hot stone massage may be the perfect solution. At ila Only Spa, our expert therapists focus on your comfort, and tailor the massage to your specific requirements to ensure maximum benefit and lasting results.
Try our stone hot stone massage once and you will get it again – we guarantee it!