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In the bad days of the Soviet Union, citizens suffering from minor, often weather-related health problems such as runny noses, headaches, and sore throats were often diagnosed with poor circulation. Sometimes the prescribed cure was to have a family of live leeches attached to their backs, to draw the blood to the surface and suck out the impurities. Other times, the cure was hot stone therapy.
Many day spas offer hot stone therapy as a relaxing treatment.
Like leeches, hot stone therapy existed to cleanse lymphatic circulation and help improve circulation throughout the body. The stones were often heated in a sauna and placed on the (victim’s) back in a rather haphazard fashion, sometimes leaving marks that took weeks to heal. In rare cases, the marks never went away at all.
These days, Western hot stone therapy has become a popular New Age type of massage, with the hot stones placed along the back chakra, or energy points. The idea is the same: improve circulation while helping relaxation and giving renewed energy. Often the recipient listens to New Age music or the sound of gently flowing water to make the experience even more surreal. Works? Probably not.
Why get high?
People get high because they want to flush out harmful toxins, get their juices flowing, and enjoy a peaceful, relaxing treatment that reduces inflammation and increases their energy levels. Other reasons people choose to indulge in a hot stone treatment are because the recipients a) are curious, b) need personal attention and relaxation, c) like to try new massages, d) believe in “Native American healing”, e) are stupid, or f) are all of the above.
The stones used are usually made of a smooth black volcanic rock called basalt, and are heated to very high temperatures. They are usually vigorously cleaned and sterilized between each treatment, or should be. The massage begins when the stones are placed one by one or all together on the chakras along the spine, while the client lies face down topless. The therapist usually massages the client gently using the same smooth stones, often applying traditional Swedish massage techniques. He or she may also place heated stones on specific parts of the body for additional relaxation, such as the palms of the hands.
Skeptics may laugh at this therapy, but believers stress that since hot stones have been used by various healers for centuries, they must be good. We know heating pads can help relieve muscle tension and promote healing, so why not natural stones? Similarly, they argue, the use of cold stone therapy may be important in causing blood vessels to contract, thereby increasing lymphatic flow around the body of different types of waste material. So what if a package of frozen peas works just as well, and for much cheaper?
Proponents of hot stone therapy say that it can help alleviate the following:
Back pain
Muscle aches, pains and strains
insomnia
fibromyalgia
Multiple sclerosis
various arthritic complaints
depression or anxiety
hot stone facials
As the name suggests, this technique usually involves massaging the face and neck with hot stones, although the arms and hands are sometimes massaged as well. It is believed that the massage combined with the stones can improve both the health and the appearance of the face, since it helps the nervous system by improving the circulation of both blood and lymph, thus helping the cells to restore themselves. In some cases, such as the Elemis Colling Hot Stone Body-Facial, cooling masks and gels are massaged into the face, then hot stones are placed on pressure points for further relaxation.
Hot Stone Pedicures
If you thought an unusual pedicure meant applying black or blue toenail polish instead of bright red, think again. A hot stone pedicure that uses flat, warm stones from humid riverbeds and aromatic mints (no, seriously) to give your feet the massage they’ve always dreamed of. It could be a thoughtful gift for the person who has everything, including smelly feet. Some crafty therapists invite their clients to take part in a sweetly scented “jelly bath” beforehand to relax their feet (and presumably get rid of any unpleasant odors).
LaStone Therapy
Strange as it may seem, this therapy uses a special combination of stones of different temperatures to achieve a relaxing effect on the body. Use 18 frozen stones, 54 hot stones, and one room temperature stone. Because? Who knows!
This “old” therapy was developed by Mrs. Mary Nelson a long, long time ago, back in 1993. She had a Native American spirit guide, who started talking to her and telling her all about getting high. She developed a technique that starts with a Swedish massage and ends with hot and cold stones, and a room temperature stone, don’t forget, that are placed all over the back and palms of the hands.
Interestingly, only LaStone Therapy’s certified therapists are qualified to perform this specific type of massage, presumably the ones who pay the aforementioned Ms. Nelson for the training that leads to certification. Even more interesting, these qualified therapists never refer to the stones they use as “stones”. Oh no. They are to be referred to as “People of the Stone Clan”, due to the special healing properties each stone is invested in. Nice!
a cautionary tale
Keep in mind that not only must the stones be properly cleaned between each treatment (see above), but the therapist administering the treatment must have appropriate training. This is not only so you get the maximum benefit, but also so you don’t get burned.
“Basically, we’ve had a disproportionate number of hot stone massage complaints,” writes Kate Armitage, CEO and Vice President of Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals, in an article published in the April/May 2007 issue of Massage & Bodywork magazine. “All of these claims have been burns, some worse than others, but some have been third degree burns.”
So if you want to try getting high yourself, make sure you only visit a qualified therapist at a licensed medical spa with a glowing reputation. And while there are literally hundreds of companies on the internet selling massage stones, don’t try this at home unless you want to leave permanent scars on your back, hands, or face!