About Stone Therapy

Stone therapy is a type of massage that combines the use of hot stones, cold stones, semi precious stones, crystals and aromatherapy to relieve symptoms of pain, stress and fatigue.

History

• Although relatively new to spa menus of the United States, stone therapy has been used for centuries to heal ailments of the body. Places such as China, Japan, Russia and Eastern Europe found that the soothing affects of the stones not only ease the pain of sore muscles but alleviate stress. Since stress is at the core of most illnesses, the body is able to repair and restore itself to a healthy state once the stress is alleviated.
  Hot rock therapy originated from stones being taken from river beds and heated in the sun, in coals, or in hot water.
  Besides relieving muscle soreness, ancient Europeans used the hot rocks to heat saunas.
  Hawaiians used rough stones for exfoliation and smooth lava rocks to massage and heal.
  Ancient cultures of Egypt, Africa, and South America used stones in healing rituals.
  Ancient Chinese societies used hot stones to eliminate pain and stress, as well as increase the flow of energy through the body.

Types

• Basalt is one type of rock used in stone therapy. It is made up of igneous rock formed from volcanic activity and holds and transfers heat from its core to the tissues, inner organs, and nerves of the body. Chilled marble stones cleanse and remove stress while promotion recirculation and healing.
  Basalt stones are heated to between 125 and 135 degrees. The marble stones are cold but not frozen.
  Stone therapy involves the incorporation of both stones into the massage with the majority of the rocks being the heated variety.
  Each stone is chosen to fit a specific part of the body, based on size, shape, color, porousness, weight and density.

Function

• A stone therapy massage begins by lying back onto a series of flat hot and cold stones laid out to trace the spine. As your breathing slows, massage oils are spread over the body followed by the gliding of stones all across the body from toe to head.
  The body is then turned over to rest on the stomach and the second part of the massage begins with a single large hot stone being placed just above the tail bone. Cold stones are placed in key areas to alleviate stress while warm stones are used to massage the body.
  The stone therapy is enriched by clicking sounds of the stones and meditative breathing of the therapist.

Benefits

• The benefits of stone therapy offer more than just luxury. While the treatment certainly does provide pleasant sensations throughout the body at the time of the massage, the real healing continues over the following 24 to 48 hours. Drinking lots of water following the massage will help the body to continue to release toxins from the body and while the body is in such a relaxed state it able to focus on rejuvenating and healing itself.
  Repeated treatments and regular visits are recommended to keep the body healthy and in balance.

Time Frame

• Most stone therapy sessions last about 75 minutes but can easily be stretched to two hours.

Warning

• If the stones are not chosen properly for each part of the body there is a risk of ineffectiveness or harm. If a stone is too small for the area it will not have enough energy to satisfy that body part. A stone that is too large can overwhelm the body and have harmful effects. A stone that is too rough can cause irritation.