Overview: Hot Stone Massage

By Margarita Camarena, Massage Therapist

Nowadays a lot of people are familiar with Hot Stone Massage. Though it was revived by Mary Nelson two decades ago, it is a practice as old as the healing arts throughout the world.  

Different American Indian tribes incorporated stones in their healing arts, for example. They heated the stones and placed them on areas that needed healing. Alongside the physical benefits of its heat and weight, each stone was seen as offering a unique frequency that resonated with our body’s biology and energy field.

Contemporary stone massage is still an intuitive process. There is finesse and skill in knowing when and how to introduce the stones into the massage, at what heat, when to let them rest, when to move them. When you have that, though, stone massage makes for a very sublime experience. 

What is massage with hot stones?

A massage with hot stones, better known as “Hot Stone Massage”,  is exactly that, a massage using hot stones. You might also have stone therapy, which uses hot and cold stones to increase circulation, or to treat specific situations like injuries or inflammation.

Basalt stones are the main type used in hot stone massage. They are volcanic rocks formed under extreme pressure and heat. The blacker the stone, the denser it is. This density makes them great for storing heat. When they are placed on you, it feels like they melt through your muscles. With a proper amount of oil, basalt stones permit easy but penetrating work to be done. On another level, basalt stones are a mix of minerals such as plagioclase, peridot, pyroxene, and feldspar; these minerals are believed to rejuvenate each our systems. Other types of stone can be used. River rocks, for example, retain cold well. Marble, jade, and precious stones might also be used.

How a session looks varies a lot, based on the therapist and the spa offering it. At Atelier Emanuel, I love personalizing each session to fit the needs of each client for each time they come. That means being intuitive and listening to the stones and paying attention to: number of stones used and their size, shape, weight, and placement. Temperature, tempo and types of strokes will also be tailored. I always include aromatherapy, picking a scent that is soothing yet stimulating.

The Benefits

My goal is to aid the body to cleanse itself of free radicals/toxins and open up muscle tensions. I also hope to encourage a deep state of relaxation that, really, is akin to a hypnagogic state, still point induction, or trance work. It's a state where a great deal of healing momentum can occur.

Clients have found that Hot Stone Massage:

• Improves circulation and strengthens the flow of the lymph system
• Relieves muscle soreness and joint problems
• Releases toxins out of the body
• Stimulates soft tissue metabolism 
• Softens and opens myofascia
• Creates profound relaxing and healing effect on the physical, mental and emotional bodies
• Alleviates and prevents headaches related to stress
• Addresses insomnia and hypertension
• Strengthens the immune system
• Improves many digestive issues

How Do I know if I want a Hot Stone Massage?

A good gauge is whether you love hot showers. If you don't, you at least will want the temperature of your stones to be on the warm side rather than hot. With us, we are generally happy to switch to relaxing massage, if you experience discomfort. Ask your therapist about what your options are if you find that hot stones are not for you while receiving the session.

In some ways, a hot stone massage is a little bit like a sweat lodge. It's gonna get hot, and you're gonna sweat! I treat it as a profound experience, and it requires a certain amount of surrender to the process. It is worth trying, but it might not be for everyone. This is fine as, again, it is quite easy to shift gears into another form of massage.

What to Expect during a Hot Stone

In my sessions, I do a quick intake to find out a bit about you, your previous experience with hot stones,  and make sure that there are no contraindications.

I begin with Swedish massage or other modalities. When I introduce the stones, I begin with ones which are luke warm, then gradually build up to hotter ones. It is very important to establish an escalating temperature scale.

After working on the back and shoulders, stones are placed along the spine to increase craniosacral fluid circulation. This is often where people 'drop down' more deeply into relaxation. Meanwhile I continue to massage other areas of the body using stones and long gliding strokes. When you turn over, we do a quick check-in to make sure you are doing ok. You might drink water if necessary. Depending on your case, gem stones are placed at the seven chakra centers. Then we continue working on the front of your body.

Following Your Hot Stone Sessions

Stick around the spa for a bit after your massage. You are going to be extremely relaxed, and might feel  a bit disoriented. You'll need to let your body cool down to body temperature as well. It's a little thing, but Atelier Emmanuel is unusual in making sure that there is time incorporated in our scheduling for you to take those extra minutes to get grounded and alert.

Drink a lot of water and nourish yourself. Drinking water after any type of bodywork is important but with hot stone therapies, it's required. You are sweating throughout the massage, releasing toxins and electrolytes. Drinking water and eating good food will replenish your body. I also encourage people to keep a light schedule afterwards. Massage positively affects our state of mind; the more we nurture this after a session, the more it imprints!

Contra Indications

A massage with hot stones is a very powerful healing experience, please be sure you understand the contraindications. If anything listed below applies to you, do not have a hot stone massage.

• If you are under medication, please consult with your physician before having a massage with hot stones
• If you have varicose veins or you bruise easily
• If you are undergoing treatment for cancer, chemotherapy or radiations treatments
• If your immune system is weak
• If you have diabetes please consult with your physician before a hot stone massage
• If you think you might have fever at the time of the massage
• If you have heart problems, hot stones will increase blood flow and pressure
• If you have a system that is sensitive to heat
• If you have high blood pressure
• If your skin is inflamed or has had recent burns
• If you have neuropathy
• If you have peripheral vascular disorder
• If you are pregnant

If nothing from this list applies to you, gift yourself with a hot stone massage.

I'm sure that after you have a massage with stones, you will have a different level of respect for stones and gems. So if a rock in the ground catches your attention, don’t be afraid to pick it up and give it a new home or at least take a closer look! It might just be another healing adventure!