Nothing feels better than a hot bath, or the feeling of warm sun or sand on the back. I love this feeling. There is something great about this warmth. This relaxes our muscles and feels great on the skin and bones. There is a way to have this feeling through a trained massage technician. She/he will perform a hot stone massage. I was a little nervous at first when I heard about it - not to mention surprised, but I tried it. I loved it and make one part of my weekly routine.
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.
The tools used for hot stone massage are basalt stones. Throughout the ages, these have been used because they retain heat and are believed to have energizing properties. Practitioners of hot stone massage prefer these ancient stones to any others.
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 1800's and grew in popularity until the 1930's and 40's. The development of modern medicine discounted its benefits, and use dwindled. It made a re-appearance in the 1960's and 1970's 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.
