Why Hot Stone Therapy?
Hot stone therapy has been around for thousands of years and has surfaced in Native American, Chinese and Japanese cultures. The Native Americans used it to cure menstrual cramps, the Chinese to relieve muscular pains and the Japanese to aid in digestion and stomach ailments. Though each culture has its own applications the overall belief that the stones help us to realign ourselves with nature balance our physical and spiritual lives is throughout. These civilizations believed that strategically placed heated stones, usually of smooth texture and found in rivers or volcanic Basalt rocks and of various sizes, promote relaxation, promote deep tissue and muscle release, cleanse the body and soul of negative energy, influence a sense of well-being and influence good health.
The stones that are used are carefully selected according to the weight, the size and where on the body it is to be used. Stones can vary in size from the size of your thumb to 3 pounds in weight. The stones are heated using water of temperatures between 120-130 degrees Fahrenheit. So how exactly does the hot stone therapy work? First, massage therapist may apply oil to the body to help the stone glide smoothly along the skin. The heated stones are placed on specific key points on the body such as the abdomen, the palms, the back, and the face or between the toes and may be left there for a few minutes to ensure that the heat sufficiently penetrates the muscles. The massage therapist may then take the stones and massage them into the areas of pain or muscle tension. The heat stored in the stones penetrates the muscles and relieve tension. It also helps with a better blood circulation and calms the nervous system. Some therapists place stones on areas that are thought to be the energy centers of the body or chakra points. Hot stone therapy is a growing trend worldwide that has caught eyes of many who are searching for relaxation.
Hot stone therapy and massages have been successful at soothing ailments such as:
- Insomnia
- Back Pains
- Indigestion
- Muscle tension and Lingering pain
- Stress
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Fibromyalgia, a chronic condition causing pain, stiffness, and tenderness of the muscles, tendons, and joints
- Arthritis and
- Osteoporosis to name a few
Despite the fact that hot stone therapy is a great way to detoxify your body and soothe your mind, it is in fact not for everyone. The following individuals are encouraged not to receive hot stone therapy or massages, unless otherwise stated by a physician:
- People with skin infections, open wounds or rashes
- People who have blood clots or individuals who are prone to heart disease
- Individuals who recently underwent surgery
- Individuals who are undergoing chemotherapy or any radiation treatment
- Pregnant women
Generally a stone massage produces only the positive side effects of a feeling of peacefulness, spiritual renewal and relaxation. The body is reorganized and set back to ‘’default’’. People today are commonly going through drastic changes and no type of chemically enhanced medicine can cure this, only by way of natural cures can the body be fixed and be better than ever.
Related Posts:
- Hot Stone Therapy for the face
- Cold Stone Therapy
- Alternative Healing for your Health: Chakra Healing
