Hot Stone Massage In Manchester
Looking for a hot stone massage in Manchester? Here is the lowdown on what to expect.
The Benefits of a Hot Stone Massage
Using hot stones as a treatment is not a new concept. It was originally used by Native Americans to treat and soothe aching muscle pain. The concept was taken by a massage therapist called Mary Nelson and she developed her own treatment called the LaStone therapy. Once this started to be used in the public domain, it quickly grew in popularity, and now there are many different versions of the hot stone massage.
Although you will find a lot of Spas and massage centers will put their own touch to the hot stone massage therapy, they all still use the same fundamentals as the original treatment. The concept focuses around the ability of a hot stone to penetrate deep into the muscle and help soothe any muscle pains. It is a very effective treatment when administered correctly, and it can certainly provide a lot of benefits to those that have the treatment.
How a hot stone massage works
The stones used for this massage therapy obviously have to be smooth and rounded so they do not cause any discomfort to the patient. The type of stone used is usually Basalt, as it contains a lot of iron and this helps to retain the heat within the stone. They are also usually smooth too, so they provide the perfect tool to use for this therapy.
The stones need should be fully sanitized before each use. They also need to be heated to the right temperature, and to do this they are placed in a specialized water heater and the water is then heated to around 30 to 35 degree Celsius. This temperature has to be carefully monitored before the stones are used. Obviously if they are too hot they could burn the patient, and if they are too cool they will not have the desired effect.
Once the stones are at the right temperature they can be placed on specific points of the body. This will vary depending on where the focus of the therapy is. The stones will also vary in size, as some are used for different areas of the body. While the bigger stones are placed on the back and legs, smaller stones can be used to put in the palms of hands and even in between toes as well.
While the heat from the stones themselves can provide a deep and soothing penetration into the muscles, the therapist can apply more pressure to the stones if required. They can also be gently massaged around a problem area so that it helps to loosen up the muscle tissue, allow the blood to flow easier and calm the nervous system in that area too.
A hot stone massage can also be very relaxing. You do not have to be suffering from any muscle pain in order to have one, you can decide to do it purely for the positive effect it has on your body. As the heat from the stones will penetrate deep into your muscle tissue you will find yourself feeling very relaxed during the therapy, and quite rejuvenated once the therapy has been completed.
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