Vancouver Massage Therapy Part 2: Geo-Thermal Stone Therapy
With the impending fall weather comes the desire to be warm- scarves mittens, wool sweaters and tea come to mind. Here at the spa, Geo-Thermal Stone Therapy starts comes to the forefront as a way to warm up and relax.
There are many different styles and types of stone massage out there. In fact, the majority of Vancouver spas have this treatment on their menu if they offer massage therapy. If you’ve never tried a stone massage it may seem like a strange and foreign concept. Are the stones rough? How are they applied to the body without bumping into bones?
You can lay these fears to rest if you confirm that your therapist has the proper training. When you’re in the right hands a massage with the use of stones can be one the most relaxing and transcendental spa experiences you’ll ever have.
At Spruce we offer Geo-Thermal Stone Therapy. What makes this type of stone massage unique is that we use both hot and cold stones in our treatment. Now you may be thinking- cold stones aren’t relaxing. In response to this I would ask the question: “Would you spend an hour or more in a sauna?” I’m going to assume that in the interests of your health, the answer is “no”. Having a stone massage with hot stones for an hour is the equivalent of spending too long in a sauna.
When we consider our body, it needs to maintain a regular temperature of 38.6 degrees celcsius. When we have a treatment with just hot stones, it brings our core temperature up and our body has to work hard to bring it back to homeostasis. I’ve received hot stone massages myself and I had completely mistaken the groggy feeling I experienced post-treatment to be relaxation. In fact, my body was drained from trying to cool down.
The feeling I’ve experienced subsequently from a Geo-Thermal Stone Therapy treatment has no comparison. I feel a deep sense of relaxation that last for days longer than what I get from a regular massage. After a Geo-Thermal Stone treatment, I feel so relaxed and serene that nothing seems to phase me.
What happens during a treatment?
Your therapist applies a warm oil to allow the hot basalt stones to glide smoothly over your skin. Once your muscles have been warmed up with the stones, your therapist does some hands on work with either therapeutic or swedish techniques. After this work has been done, cool marble stones are applied to areas of tension. The different temperature works with your body’s circulation to flush out stagnant blood and muscle aches from lactic acid build up.
Experience a Treatment
If you’re a fan of stone massage but you’ve never experienced alternating temperatures- then I would highly recommend trying a Geo-Thermal Stone Therapy treatment. The cold stones are a bit of a shock initially, but they actually feel quite soothing and relaxing after a few seconds. The alternating temperatures not only support your body’s core temperature, but they have far more benefits for the health of your skin, muscles and connective tissue than heat on it’s own. While all of that is going on inside, you’ll be revitalized and rested on the outside.
Geo-Thermal Stone Therapy Treatments
Massage Therapy Vancouver
Have you had a Geo-Thermal Stone Therapy Treatment? Share your experience here!
Tags: hot stone, hot stones, massage therapy, spa experiences, spas, stone massage, stone therapy
