There are many kinds of therapies for one to get rid of major problems, and stone massage therapy is one of them. This massage therapy is getting popularity considering the many advantages it has. The stone massage is done with the help of some smooth, flat and heated stones placed at key points on the body.
As history tells, Ancient Chinese medical practitioners regularly used various shaped stones to treat diseases. Mainly the three cultures, Chinese, Native Americans and Hawaiians have been the major influence on the modern-day Stone Therapy, practiced today. Native- Americans are also well known for their sweat lodges which are somewhere similar to the present Saunas.
The stone massage therapy is mostly practiced inEurope and America, where practically, every Spa offers Hot Stone Massage or Stone Therapy as a part of their menu. Off late, this therapy has also become popular in parts of Australia.
For the massage therapy, stones are usually heated in a stone- heater, filled with water temperature up to50-53 degrees Celsius(122-127 degrees Fahrenheit). After which, some stones are placed on specific points of the body such as back, hands, etc. and some are used by the massage therapist.
In certain therapies chilled marble stones are also used,which are pre-placed in a bowl of ice water. Only a professional massage therapist knows the use right requirement for hot or cold stones.
During stone placement, the heat of the stone takes about three to four minutes, on an average, to fully penetrate the layers of resistance/material before the client can accurately discern if the stones are too hot or not (this average time varies, too, according to the thickness of the material being used, as well as the health of the client, and temperature and placement of stones).
The Stone massage therapy has a list of benefits. It melts away tension, eases muscle stiffness and increases circulation and metabolism. Each one and a half hour hot stone massage therapy session promotes deeper muscle relaxation through the placement of smooth, water-heated stones at key points of the body. The hot stones also expand blood vessels, which encourages blood flow throughout the body.
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