'Tools of the Trade' - Massage and Healing Stones

I want to write a little Blog on Hot Stones Massage today.  A lot of people do not understand how this all works.  As we move into Autumn and Winter where Hot Stones treatments are most popular, I want to tell you a little more about The Hot Stones as they are an amazing natural heated tool to use for massage and is a very popular treatment for bodywork.

Hot Stones are made from polished Volcanic Rock.  They are polished and smoothed so that may be used as massage tools.  This goes back centuries.  The Native American Indians started this in sweat lodges where heat was used for purification and cleansing purposes.  Polished volcanic stones were then used for massage afterwards and during the sweat lodge ritual.

Today the use of Hot Stones in modern bodywork allows heat penetration deep into the muscles, so that the deep layer of muscles can be worked on more effectively and quickly.  The heat is deeply relaxing.  Trigger point stones can be used for Trigger Point Release on adhesions (knots in the body).  It is a very effective and relaxing massage technique, but gets into the really deep layers of the muscles too.

For the not faint of hearted, there is also Hot and Cold Stones Massage Therapy or Geothermal Therapy.  The Cold Stones are made from polished marble.  The stones are used in combination, alternating together. The Hot and Cold of the stones used during massage causes the muscles to flush out fast and this is how geothermal therapy occurs so effectively. Geo, meaning Earth/Stone (geology), and thermal meaning temperature (thermometer), defines Geothermal stone therapy as treatment with stones and temperatures. It causes faster blood flow to flush the muscles with fresh blood and elimination of toxins, allowing faster muscle release and recovery.

The usual Deep Tissue work and digging into muscles is greatly decreased, and the time which it takes to release stubborn knots is also decreased, allowing the therapist more time to get to address stubborn knots and make greater progress during sessions.
Because of the softening effect that the hot and cold stones have on the client's muscles and the anti-inflammatory effect, the tight knots can then melt like ice,
Stones provide so much more than just physical comfort for your client. Placing warm belly stones and hand stones and tucking stones around your client helps them to feel safe and grounded. When someone comes in for a massage, they often feel in a vulnerable position anyway.  Perhaps they are worried it will be painful.  Hot Stones is rarely a painful treatment, but is deeply detoxifying and effective,
The stones help clients to feel more secure and protected. Warm stones placed on and around the body help your client to stay relaxed during the session, even when you are working a little deeper trying to relieve their tight spots.