subject: Hot Stone Massage: Alleviate Soreness Faster [print this page] We all know the healing powers of heat and the sun. When we go to the beach, the hot sand feels great on our muscles and bones. There is a therapeutic way to get the benefit of this feeling, without all the sand. It feels even better. It isn't anything new! It's hot stone massage. I was a little cynical when I first heard about and was reluctant to try it. However, when I first had one, I was hooked.
This will be done by a professional and is very sanitary. Your masseuse will keep the stones in boiling water. This is done in order to avoid bacteria growing on them. They will be removed using a glove or another sanitary tool when they are required in order to give the massage.
What type of stones are used? Well, they are basalt, smooth rocks which have been used throughout the ages, as they are believed to have energizing properties. They also retain heat very well. Other types of massage use other types of tools, as well as the hands of the therapist.
And while we're on the subject of hands and tools, a hot stone massage is much easier on the hands of the therapist. These stones are used to apply pressure, so the massage can be customized to suit individual needs. The sanitized hot stones are laid on each side of the spine. Heat is delivered to the body. Then, other parts of the body are rubbed with oil then with hot stones. I don't need much pressure applied as my muscles aren't so tight, but my husband prefers a lot of pressure. This relieves tension and helps promote blood flow.
Massage therapy became popular in the US in the 1800s and grew in popularity until the 1930s and 40s. The development of modern medicine discounted its benefits, and use dwindled. It made a re-appearance in the 1960s and 1970s when nurses began to use it to alleviate pain in patients. In the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta massage was deemed a core medical service, which gave it great credibility.
I love my massage therapist. Of all the 90,000 people in the United States who claim massage therapy as their part-time or full-time job, mine is the greatest. Like most, she is self-employed. A large percentage of these workers are of part-time and self-employed workers. Not all states in the United States require some sort of a license to practice massage therapy. See if your local massage therapist can perform a hot stone massage. If a state does not have any massage laws, then nothing is required and a practitioner need not apply for any sort of license with the state. Each state has its own regulations, but in generally, to train in the US where a license is required it involves 500-1000 hours in length, resulting in a certificate, diploma, or degree depending on the particular school.
by: Darrel White
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