The hot stone massage is of Swedish origin. Though it is not very old, it has already gained a very large body of adherents all over the world. The hot stone massage has found favor with massage therapists in many countries, and is actively practiced on almost every continent. The reason for its rapid popularity is its efficacy in easing a number of physical ailments, whilst relieving mental tension at the same time. If you've never had a hot stone massage, here's how it will be.
In a hot stone massage only the stones are moved over your body. The massage therapist hardly needs to touch you with his hands. He simply moves and relocates the stones as required by the therapy.
Since the therapist does not touch you, there is no kneading or pressing action. Hence there is not the slightest pain which is the characteristic feature of a regular massage. So if your body does have some problem spots where a regular massage generates a lot of pain, the hot stone massage is the thing for you!
The massage therapist will understand your physical condition and then design the hot stone massage according to his reading of your physical condition. Basalt stones are used for the massage treatment because they remain hot, about 120 degrees, for the duration of the massage.
The massage therapist places the heated stones on your arms, legs and torso. Smaller, lighter stones are placed on your limbs and larger ones are placed on your torso. The placement and choice of the stones is a critical part of the therapy. Heavier stones have greater heat capacity, and this helps the heat to penetrate the thicker body muscles.
The heavier stones placed on your torso do not require to be moved much or at all. The smaller muscles are moved gently over the limbs in such a way that all the muscles are treated properly.
You will certainly benefit from a hot stone massage if you suffer from nagging skeleto-muscular problems. Backache, muscle stress, sprains, inflammation, all these problems are effectively solved. Best of all, you'll find that your mental tension disappears along with your body's aches and pains! A hot stone massage is indeed an experience not to be missed!
Ned Best
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To learn more about the hot stone massage and other massage types visit www.Full-Body-Massage-Therapy.com. You'll also discover why a quality massage table is so important if you want to get the maximum benefit from your massage.
