Hot Stone Massage In Chicago And Hinsdale

Origins Of Hot Stone Massage

In 1993, massage therapist Mary Nelson, inspired by her Native American practices, decided to use smooth stones from her sauna to aid in pain relief to both herself and her clients. Her technique, known as LaStone therapy, was built upon by many massage professionals to enhance existing types of massage therapy and provide deeper benefits by combining multiple disciplines into a single experience Most modern massage therapists use basalt stones because they are naturally smooth and readily available in several sizes, so the therapist can select the size that is best fitted to the part of the body they are treating. Basalt stones also retain heat better than many other types of stones and are thought to have healing properties of their own, allowing them to act as a natural extension of the therapist’s hands.

• Deeper Massage Benefits: When the hot stones are placed on the body’s pressure points and most-knotted muscles helps loosen the body up even before the massage begins, allowing for the therapist’s skilled hands to go even deeper towards working on the problem areas.
• Less Pain: With the body’s muscles being preheated and primed for the massage, the recipient begins to experience pain relief before the actual massage even begins. This allows for those who are suffering from deeper muscle injuries to receive a more intense treatment in a more comfortable way as the therapist does not need to knead as deeply.
• Improved Oxygen Flow: The heat from the stones gets blood flowing to transport oxygen throughout the body for a faster healing process.
• Better Mood: When a skilled therapist places the stones at certain pressure points, the heat at those points alleviates tension and stress, leaving you feeling simultaneously relaxed and invigorated.
• Versatile: Perhaps the best thing about hot stone therapy is that it can be used alongside many other massage therapy techniques, so you are able to reap the benefits of hot stones in a variety of ways. Swedish massage, sports massage, and deep tissue massage all make great use of hot stones. Ask your massage therapist if it is possible to incorporate hot stones into your preferred massage technique.