Top 8 Hot Stone Massage Therapy Benefits:
Hot stone massage is not just a therapy; it’s a journey into the healing embrace of tranquility.”
Hot Stone massage is not only a medical treatment but a way towards peace and relaxation. This is an old-age technique that is famous due to its benefits for the mind and soul that an individual gets through an expertly placed warmth of stone and soft hands. It’s beneficial for general well-being including relaxation and calmness, improving sleep, and reducing pain. Let’s explore the hot stone massage benefits in detail and some risks about it.
1- Muscle Tension and Pain Relief:
Hot stone massage is very effective in reducing muscle stress and pain relief through various physiological and psychological ways. The warmth of the stone and gentle pressure for a massage promotes a sense of calmness throughout the body and the hormones that are known as a natural painkiller and mood elevator are released.
It may also reduce muscle spasms and increase flexibility and range of motion. According to research, Hot stone massage is known for effectively relieving muscle tension and pain by promoting increased blood flow, reducing spasms, and improving flexibility and range of motion. The application of heated stones contributes to a soothing and therapeutic experience.
Heat Stone Massage For Pain Relief | Latest Research
2- Stress and Anxiety Reduction:
A study was conducted to ensure the benefits of hot massage in reducing stress and anxiety for people who went through colorectal surgery. A group of 128 people was divided into two, one group was provided the session with a massage while other groups had a social visit and relaxation session skipping the massage part. They monitored the patients before and after each session and revealed that the group of people who received massage had less pain and stress. So the study proves that patients who went through this surgery can get benefits from this massage therapy. However, the results may vary from person to person due to their other health conditions.
3- Toxin Elimination:
It is claimed that hot stone massage eliminates the toxin from the body. The idea behind this concept is that the heat from the stone induces sweating which results in the elimination of toxins from the skin but this is not true because the extent of sweating through hot massage to remove toxins is not clear as the temperature of the stone isn’t high. Moreover, scientific studies on this claim are very limited.
”Hot Stone Massage: Your Gateway to Relaxation and Wellness”
4- Improved Skin Health:
Another benefit of hot stone massage is the application of hot stones dilates the blood vessels and improves blood circulation. The improved blood circulation carries helpful nutrients and delivers them to the skin cells resulting in cell regeneration and repair of skin and reducing overall stress.
5- Sleep Promotion:
Studies prove that hot stone massage helps in better sleep. This massage helps in reducing stress hormones (cortisol) that disrupt the sleep pattern. As a result of massage therapy Endorphins that naturally occur as a mood enhancer are released and promote a favorable sleep.
6- Autoimmune Disease Relief:
Studies suggest that hot stone massage can provide relief for conditions like fibromyalgia. Research shows that individuals with fibromyalgia experience improved sleep, fewer trigger points, and reduced levels of pain-related substances after hot stone massage therapy.
Another study performed in 2013 shows that people with rheumatoid arthritis get benefits of hot stone massage with moderate pressure and they feel more confident in their grip and less pain after each session.
7- Cancer Symptom Improvement:
A large, three-year study examined how massage affected pain, fatigue, stress and anxiety, nausea, and depression in 1,290 people with cancer. The study showed therapeutic massage is a beneficial tool in cancer patients to relieve stress and feel better. Massage helps in easing some pain and mental health for a short time period.
Researchers are still going on to figure out how massage helps with various symptoms in cancer patients and what are their links to mind and body. In these practices, Shiatsu massage aims to restore balance in the meridian system. The meridian system was found effective in linking changing muscle tissue with the changes in the nervous system but more research is needed to understand the type of massage that is beneficial for relieving the symptoms in cancer patients.
8- Immunity Boost:
Massage may give your immune system a boost. According to a 2010 study, a single session of Swedish massage therapy had a positive and acute impact on immunity.”
Conclusion
Hot stone massage is getting popular due to its numerous benefits providing relief from both physical and mental stress. Its efficacy is demonstrated by its capacity to reduce tension, encourage deeper sleep, lessen anxiety, and even treat ailments like cancer and fibromyalgia symptoms.
Resources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10466406/’
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23561068/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26256133/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1891200/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15114265/