History of hot stone massage.

The history of massage therapy goes as far back as 3000 BCE (or earlier) in India, where it was used by Hindus in Ayurveda “life health” medicine, and massage therapy was practiced and passed down through generations to relieve pain, heal injuries even prevent and cure illnesses. It was considered as a “sacred system” of natural healing. Much research has been done about massage as a tactile therapy and we all respond to touch. For years, virtually every culture around the globe has used combinations of touch, aromatherapy oils, heat and stones as therapeutic tools. From calming babies to pain management, massage is a very powerful therapy and the use of hot stones in particular has some sort of a healing effect on the body and calms the mind.

Traditionally, hot stones are warmed on a fire and have been used by native Americans to relieve pain and ease aching muscles. Today we have Mary Nelson of Tucson, Arizona to thank for developing the modern style of hot stone massage therapy.

So what is a hot stone massage?

This is a speciality massage where smooth basalt stones are heated and used by the therapist by rubbing them or placing them on the body, with the idea that heat from the stones leads to deep relaxation and warming of muscles which might be tight or tender. Heat therapy is an excellent tool for managing pain, releasing tension in the muscles and is incredibly calming. We often use hot stones incorporated into our deep tissue massages, because the heat is so beneficial it helps us massage deeper, getting a better result.

The preference is for basalt stones due to their smoothness, non-porosity and ability to retain heat for longer and they are heated to 45-50°C. The stones come in different sizes and shapes and are used all over the body depending on the objective, for example, using large flat round stones is ideal for the larger muscles in the body, such as the big thigh muscles and the back, whereas the little stones are perfect for the feet or face.

Sometimes long strokes are used (especially with the bigger stone) and other times gentle smaller strokes are used with the smaller stones, and often we are guided by the meridians or energy lines of the body for hot stone placement with the aim of stimulating the movement of energy, also known as Qi or Chi and it’s this that helps the body with self healing.

Why should you get a hot stone massage and what are the benefits?

It has been scientifically proven that massage, including hot stone (and reiki in fact) (Kurebayashi et al., 2016), reduce stress and anxiety because a lot of processes are stimulated by massage, endorphins and other feel good hormones are released and these hormones are responsible for reducing stress and anxiety. Coinciding with this, the ‘stress’ hormones, for example cortisol and norepinephrine are lowered.

Hot stone massages are an excellent pain management tool for chronic painful conditions, such as fibromyalgia, and have tangible positive effects, according to a recent article published in the Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, it has been demonstrated that this is due to the lower levels of substance P, which is how the body partly communicates pain signals and people with chronic Rheumatoid Arthritis have also been shown to experience less pain (Field et al., 2013).

Many of the actual techniques using Swedish massage are also applied in hot stone massage, and research has shown that a Swedish massage can positively impact your immune system, even after one session. According to a preliminary study of the effects of a single session of Swedish Massage (Rapaport, Schettler and Bresee, 2010)

So don’t see it as just being pampered, massage really is a healing experience.

10 benefits of a hot stone massage.

1. Helps to improve joint flexibility.
2. Relieves pain, tension, muscle spasm & helps relax muscles.
3. Aids in a better nights sleep.
4. Detoxifies the body, helps releases toxins.
5. Aids in stress & anxiety reduction.
6. Improves circulation and flow of energy.
7. Promotes self healing of the body.
8. Improves skin tone & appearance.
9. Aids in relieving the symptoms of cancers and autoimmune diseases.
10. Its warming, comforting and very relaxing, evoking a calm sense of peace & well being

So if you want to unwind with hot stones, experience deep warming relaxation, are in pain, or need to sleep or simply want to be warmed with a hot stones massage, pop in to, or call, VaVa Complementary Health and Wellbeing, and let us take care of you.

Namaste, Ashlí

References

• Field, T. et al. (2013) ‘Rheumatoid arthritis in upper limbs benefits from moderate pressure massage therapy’, Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 19(2), pp. 101–103. doi: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2012.12.001.
• Kurebayashi, L. F. S. et al. (2016) ‘Massage and reiki used to reduce stress and anxiety: Randomized clinical trial’, Revista Latino-Americana de Enfermagem, 24. doi: 10.1590/1518-8345.1614.2834.
• Rapaport, M. H., Schettler, P. and Bresee, C. (2010) ‘A preliminary study of the effects of a single session of Swedish Massage on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal and immune function in normal individuals’, Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 16(10), pp. 1079–1088. doi: 10.1089/acm.2009.0634.

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