Hot Stone Massage

The hot stone massage is a fairly new type of massage. It was invented by Mary Hannigan in the early 1990′s. The basic principles of the hot stone massage are the same as that of the Swedish massage. The main difference of course is the use of stones. It incorporates the same long strokes, but instead of using their hands, the person doing the massage will use specially heated rocks that will transfer heat to a particular area of the body. The rocks are usually round and are heated between 120 and 150 degrees Fahrenheit.

The size of the stones vary. They can be the size of a pebble, or they can be much bigger. Like the size of a weighted rock. During the massage the stones will be switched out as they become cold. Usually the massage therapist will place a set up heated rocks along the spine to allow the heat to penetrate deep within the muscles. You may not know this, but sometimes cold stones are used during a hot stone massage. This usually happens when there is severe inflammation in the muscles. The cold stones used are made of marble because they hold cold well. The hot stones are usually round, soft basalt river rocks.

In some instances, the hot and cold stones will be used at the same time. This helps to stimulate the flow of lymph and move waste through the body at a much quicker pace. The hot stones make the blood vessel expand while the cold stones make the blood vessels contract.

The hot stone message is perfect for someone who wants a deep, penetrating massage without all the pressure that is commonly used with a Swedish massage. The one downside about the hot stone massage is that it will cost you relatively more than other forms of massage. Other then that, this will probably be the best massage you ever get.