{"id":78474,"date":"2022-06-21T08:44:23","date_gmt":"2022-06-21T08:44:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.soothe.com\/?p=78474"},"modified":"2024-05-14T22:44:13","modified_gmt":"2024-05-14T22:44:13","slug":"hot-stone-massage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.soothe.com\/articles\/hot-stone-massage\/","title":{"rendered":"Hot Stone Massage: What Is It, Benefits, And Everything You Should Know"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
Many of you have seen the images – you know, the ones where someone is relaxing with stones on their back. Nearly every massage\/spa company uses them for marketing and advertising. They’re very effective, they do make you want to get one, right? But is it an actual massage? Can a hot stone massage help you? What are hot stones?<\/p>\n\n
In this article, you’re going to learn what hot stones are, how they’re used in massage, and how they can benefit you if you’re thinking about booking a massage. By the end, we hope you have all the knowledge you need to decide whether a hot stone massage is right for you or not. Let’s get started.<\/p>\n\n
A hot stone massage is a unique type of massage session or enhancement. It\u2019s used to help you relax and ease tense muscles, improve circulation, and help damaged soft tissues in your body.\u00a0This type of massage involves the use and placement of basalt River rock on different points of the body. The rocks are heated before use and the massage therapist can use them on troubled areas during your massage.<\/p>\n\n
During a hot stone massage, smooth, flat, heated stones are placed on specific parts of your body. The stones are usually made of basalt, a type of volcanic rock that retains heat.<\/p>\n\n
According to research, hot massage stones are heated to between 130 and 145 degrees, although you’ll find some massage therapists prefer to use slightly lower or higher temperatures.<\/p>\n\n
During the massage, the stones may be placed:<\/p>\n\n
Massage therapists may hold heated stones as they massage your body using Swedish massage techniques such as:<\/p>\n\n
Basalt river rocks are the most commonly used stones during this type of massage because they are smooth from the river\u2019s current and they hold heat well. They are typically made of volcanic rock, enabling them to heat quickly and retain that heat for an extended period. Before treatment, the rocks are heated in a professional heater to 110\u00b0F to 145\u00b0F.<\/p>\n\n
They’re used in massage because they hold heat, which allows the massage therapist to apply heat for a prolonged period on a specific area of your body.<\/p>\n\n
The main difference between a hot stone massage and a regular massage is that the focal point of a hot stone massage is using stones to apply heat during the massage therapy session to promote relaxation. The heat from the stones can also help improve blood flow and relax muscle tension.<\/p>\n\n
Regular massages do not use stones to massage the body, they focus on pressure points and muscles. In a regular massage, the massage therapist uses pressure from their hands to massage different areas of the body.<\/p>\n\n