hot stones massage

is a massage using smooth, flat heated stones with well rounded edges. During the therapy they are placed at key pressure points in the body to provide optimum relaxation and relief. These stones open up the meridians and chakras (energy pathways) in the body.
Stones are generally made of basalt. Basalt stones have high heat retention capacity. Basalt being a volcanic stone, the mineral properties of basalt also has therapeutic qualities. The therapist generally starts off the massage with essential oils followed by the use of the stones. Stones are placed in water and heated up to 125 degree Farenheit or 52 degree Celcius before placing them on the body.

Benefits of Hot Stones Massage

• Heated stones are used by the therapist prior to the actual massage to relax tightened muscles and prepare clients for a deep tissue conditioning experience. The pliability of the muscles make it easy for the therapist to maneuver the muscles and the tissues during the massage.
• This type of massage can reduce hypertension and muscle spasms.
• It brings utmost relaxation and alleviates stress.
• It increases blood and lymph flow and improves blood circulation.
• It increases bodily flexibility and helps to remove toxins from the body.

Chilled stones are also used for cryotherapy. It is the process where inflamed and swollen muscles are treated with cold compress.

What are the health conditions that could benefit from this massage?

• Back Pain and Body Ache.
• Stress related disorders due to anxiety and tension in lifestyle.
• Osteoarthritis and arthritis.
• Poor Circulation.
• Sleep disorders and Insomnia.
• Depression.
• Fibromylagia

Who should not get Hot Stones Massage?

This particular massage is not recommended for certain groups of people given below:

• Pregnant women unless the therapist is certified in pregnancy massage.
• People with skin infections, allergies or open unhealed wounds.
• People who have a history of blood clots.
• Immediately post surgery.
• In cancer patients, undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatments it would be advisable to seek the permission of the physician prior to the therapy.
• Anybody who has undergone a recent fracture of any body part should also ask the physician before opting for it.

stimulate the nervous system, increase the activity of the glands, and boost circulation,

use a massage stroke known as

vibration

. Spread your hands or fingers out on your partner’s skin, press down firmly, and rapidly shake for a few seconds with a trembling sort of motion. This stroke can help increase the power of the muscles to contract.

To begin the massage, warm a small amount of oil in your palms before applying it to your partner’s back. Now you’re ready to try

effleurage

, the long gliding stroke. Effleurage is a French word for a light, gentle stroke. Begin by gliding your hands along the torso, from the neck to the base of the spine; from the shoulder to the fingertips. You can use the palms of one or both hands, your knuckles, fingertips, or the ball of your thumb.

Be sure to lean into the stroke to minimize, the strain on your own back. Begin at the neck, slide down the back and up again. Repeat the movements several times.

Now that you’ve acquainted your partner with your touch and helped to warm up the muscles, it’s time to work deeper. Place one of your hands on top of the other , press into it, and stroke one side of the back at a time. Repeat several times. Once you get the hang of this movement, feel free to be creative. Have your partner give you feedback on how the movements feel.

Continue the long, soothing, gliding strokes of effleurage, alternating light and deep strokes according to your partner’s preference. Try using your forearms as well as your hands nd fingers. Be careful not to put too much weight on your partner’s back.

With one or two hands, or with your thumb and fingers, carefully “pick up” muscles and lift them away from the bones. Then roll, wring, and squeeze. This move is called petrissage. Direct pressure with your thumbs may be helpful on people who have thick, well-developed muscle. Massage experts say petrissage increases circulation, which helps speed the removal of toxins like lactic acid.

Now use thumbs and fingertips to trace deep circles near the joints and other bony areas such as the sides of the spine. Also circle the central part of large muscles. This “friction” stroke breaks down knots that result when muscle fibers bind together, giving new flexibility to joints, tendons, and muscles. Follow immediately with effleurage.

The short chopping stroke called tapotement can be done in many ways. You can chop with the edge of your hand or tap with your fingertips. Clap with your palms or the flat surface of your hands and fingers. You can even beat with the edge of a closed fist. Use tapotement for a few seconds to stimulate the muscles or for 10 or more seconds to relieve a cramped muscle.

This is the

magic of massage

. Under your partner’s soothing hands, muscles start to unfurl, so new blood can bathe the tissues. The blood carries fresh oxygen and vital nutrients and carries away pain-producing metabolic wastes.

As the massage continues, that

marvelous sensation of healing touch

triggers your nervous system to release endorphins, the body’s natural painkiller. Soon your stepped up circulation carries this elixir of bodily bliss throughout your system. As the massage ends, you feel so great, you may be half-inclined to rush right out and do all those jobs the back pain kept you from.

Do yourself a favor. Give your muscles time to remember how good it feels to relax. And if that means resting in a quiet room and ignoring the jangle of the phone, do it. Better yet, head straight for the bathroom. Fill the tub with warm, scented water and ease into it for a good soak.

Realize, however, that

massage is no substitute for proper medical care

. If you suspect the problem is a displaced disk or an injured nerve, consult your doctor. A good massage therapist will want to know the diagnosis so he can respond appropriately.

And if your pain is caused by muscle strain due to poor posture or movement habits, know that massage can only bring you short-term relief.

In Ayurveda, it has been written that massage done with medicated herbal oils is very beneficial for the body. The main aim of massage therapies is to completely remove the body ailments and make the body fit and healthy.

How does massage keeps you fit and healthy ?

Oil massage is beneficial for your body. Some of the benefits of oil massage are given below.

• Increases circulation and provides body tissues with more oxygen.
• Relaxes muscles and helps ease stress and tension.
• Eases stiffness in joints.
• Tones the body keeping it supple and young.
• Helps flush out wastes from the body.
• Stimulates and tones the skin.
• Increases energy and vitality.
• Makes you feel good !

The oil massage is a great way to start each day. Start with the head and work your way down, using upward strokes at the back of the body and downward strokes at he front. Circular motions should be clockwise. This is said to release tension.

Use natural oils. It should not be rushed; so try and give yourself some time to do it leisurely, and follow it with a warm bath. Since mornings tend to be hectic, you might prefer to do it in the evening when you have more time for yourself.

The simple difference is : In acupressure, finger pressure is used whereas needle pressure is used in acupuncture. The body points are stimulated by the use of finger pressure in acupressure.

Acupressure is used on a large scale by the Chinese medicine practitioners, acupuncturists and massage therapists. In the United States, acupressure techniques are included as part of the body-work programs in many massage schools.

Benefits of Acupressure

Acupressure massage by massage therapists is a very beneficial and effective treatment for many health problems. It is beneficial for nervous tension, headaches, sinus problems, colds and flu, sprains, arthritis, tennis elbow, menstrual cramps, allergies, asthma, toothaches, general aches and pains etc.

Acupressure doesn’t require any visit to a professional and can be performed also by a layperson. The techniques of acupressure are simple and easy to learn. They provide fast, free and effective relief from many problems. Acupressure points can also be stimulated to increase energy, reduce stress, stimulate the immune system and remove sexual dysfunction.

Massage Therapy

In massage therapy, the symptoms and overall health of a patient are evaluated by acupressurists. In a massage therapy treatment, the abdomen and other body parts of the patient are examined to find out energy imbalances. Depending on the organs which are imbalanced in the abdomen, the therapist works with different meridians throughout the body. The energy flow through the patient’s body is guided and observed by the therapist throughout the session.

An

acupressure session

is a nice experience and many people get immediate benefits from the session.

Use an essential oil suitable for your hair type for massaging purpose. For hair loss, use peppermint oil or rosemary oil. As you keep massaging, keep adding more oil to your finger tips.

While massaging, make small circles with your fingertips starting from the forehead hairline. Move gradually to the side and back of your head.

Then move towards the top of your head and massage your scalp in circles for 10 minutes.

Once you finish massaging with the oil, place a warm towel on your head for 10 minutes. Then wash away the oil with a good shampoo. Do it once in a week regularly.

See to it that the oil you use does not trigger any allergic reactions.  Just as you massage oil, you can also massage raw milk on your scalp and wash off after an hour. Drinking coconut water is good for your skin and hair.

1. There are several hand held massagers which can be used easily by you on the affected muscles to get relief from pain.
2. Therapy cane (made of metal rod with wooden balls), available at medical supply stores is an excellent self-massage tool.
3. Tennis balls in an old sock, is another popular do-it-yourself back pain massage technique. Place two tennis balls inside a sock and knot the open end. Lie on your back and roll the ball. The socks should be placed such that the balls are on either sides of the spine. Keep the balls rolling up and down your back. Increase the pressure gradually.
4. Hot bath shower is also very helpful.

uses soothing, tapping and kneading strokes to work the entire body, relieving muscle tension and loosening sore joints. Swedish massage therapists use five basic strokes, which anyone can learn and use on themselves and others. They are effleurage (stroking); petrissage(muscles are lightly grabbed and lifted); friction (thumbs and fingertips work in deep circles into the thickest part of muscles; tapotement (chopping, beating, and tapping strokes); and vibration (fingers are pressed or flattened firmly on a muscle, then the area is shaken rapidly for a few seconds).

DEEP TISSUE MASSAGE

targets chronic tension in muscles that lie far below the surface of your body. You have five layers of muscle in your back, for instance, and while Swedish massage may help the first couple of layers, it won’t do much directly for the muscle underneath. Deep muscle techniques usually involve slow strokes, direct pressure or friction movements that go across the grain of the muscles. Massage therapists will use their fingers, thumbs or occasionally even elbows to apply the needed pressure.

SPORTS MASSAGE

is designed to help you train better, whether you’re a world champion or a weekend warrior. The techniques are similar to those in Swedish and deep tissue massage, but Greene says sports massage has been adapted to meet the athlete’s special needs. Pre-event massage can help warm up muscles and improve circulation before competition, but it can also energize or relax an athlete and help him focus on the competition. Post-event massage can push waste products out of the body and improve recovery. .

NEUROMUSCULAR MASSAGE

is a form of deep tissue massage that is applied to individual muscles. It is used to increase blood flow, reduce pain and release pressure on nerves caused by injuries to muscles and other soft tissue. Neuromuscular massage helps release trigger points, intense knots of tense muscle can also “refer” pain to other parts of the body. Relieving a tense trigger point in your back, for example, could help ease pain in your shoulder or reduce headaches. .

ROLFING

seeks to re-educate your body about posture. When posture is poor,  it can be reflected in a number of health problems, such as backaches, headaches and joint pain. Rolfing seeks to realign and straighten your body by working the myofascia, the connective tissue that surrounds your muscles and helps hold your body together. The ten-session, head-to-toe Rolfing program used to be rather painful, but Bienenfeld says new techniques that employ a therapist’s hands and elbows are quite tolerable and just as effective at improving your posture. .

HELLERWORK

is an offshoot of Rolfing that adds both mental and movement re-education to the physical work. In a series of 11 sessions, you get instruction on how to break bad posture habits and you also get a massage that focuses on returning your muscles and other tissue to their proper positions. The result can be dramatic. “Sometimes we can greatly increase the spaces in your joints to the point where you may grown three-fourths of an inch taller before you’re done,” Bienenfeld says. .

CRANIOSACRAL THERAPY

focuses on the skull and spinal column. Therapists use very gently pressure no more than the weight of a nickel to massage the bones, membranes and fluids that support and bathe your skull and spinal column. The theory is that these manipulations will reduce tension and counteract any physical trauma you may have experienced to your head over the years. .

ASTON_PATTERNING

, another offshoot of Rolfing, was developed to teach people to maintain the improved alignment that they got through Rolfing. Aston-Patterning uses posture re-education and stresses physical fitness techniques. .

FELDENKRAIS

treats every body as an individual work of art, with different postures and different movement patterns. Practioners seek to teach their clients ideal patterns of movement through slow, gentle, exercise-like sessions. It also includes a gentle massage that is designed to teach a person how to expand his range of motion.It’s often useful for victims of stroke or accidents who have lost movement. .

TRAGER

uses gentle, rocking massage to help release the body’s harmful “holding patterns.” If you injured your left shoulder as a child, for example, you still may unconsciously carry it lower than your right shoulder, throwing your body off balance and robbing you of energy. Therapists employ very light, gentle shaking techniques that are unlike traditional Swedish-style massage. The idea is to make people more aware of their bodies, especially the way they move and hold themselves. For some reason, freeing people of physical holding patterns also seems to rid them of emotional stress that they associated with the prior injury.