Hot Stone Massage

What is Hot Stone Massage?

Hot-stone massage is a treatment in which smooth basalt rocks (or river rocks) that have been heated in a regulated water bath are used to warm up the muscles.

This allows the therapist access to deeper layers of soft tissue that are otherwise unreachable.

Basalt rocks are very rich in iron, which makes them particularly great at retaining heat and slowly dissipating it throughout the body.

The heat from the stones also expands blood vessels, which encourages blood flow throughout the body.

This has a sedative effect that relieves chronic pain, reduces stress, anxiety and promotes deep relaxation.

Combining hot stone therapy with massage techniques that are adjusted to your needs provides the most healing and effectively relaxing experience that is naturally possible.

Hot stone massage therapy melts away tension, eases muscle stiffness, increases circulation and boosts metabolism.

Hot stone therapy with 4elements-massage can be synergistically combined with deep tissue, aromatherapy or sports massage.

What to Expect

After you fill in a short form, you will be taken to your treatment where your therapist will instruct you on how to prepare for your treatment.

The massage will begin by prepping your body using Swedish massage techniques.

Once done with warming up, hot stones are laid out through specific key points.

Your therapist will place the heated stones along your spine, in the palms of your hand, on your belly and even between your toes to improve the flow of energy in your body.

Many stones of various shapes and sizes are used - big ones on the big muscles and smaller ones on smaller muscles accordingly.

There's a prevalent belief that the stones themselves have an energetic charge that needs to be maintained and that's achieved by placing them in a spiral pattern.

After a while, you may drift off into a dreamy state and lose track of where the hot stones have been arranged, but worry not as this is quite common!

Hot stone massage utilises a variety of strokes and techniques using both the stones and hands, working over knots in your muscles.

The heat from the stones helps the muscles relax so that your therapist can work with the affected tissue more thoroughly without causing any discomfort.

This is especially ideal if you are experiencing a recurring sports injury, or if you have had frequent muscle spasms or cramps.

You should expect your hot stone massage to trigger a deeply relaxed, blissed-out and meditative state.

Enjoy the afterglow and float slowly back to the real world where you should re-hydrate your body by sipping plenty of water.