Stone therapy – treatment with stones – is a therapeutic massage procedure, the essence of which lies in the correct placement of hot and cold stones on specific points located on the human body. The main goal of this treatment is to achieve complete relaxation of the body and then restore muscle tone.
The method of stone therapy was practiced in Eastern medicine thousands of years ago and successfully helped treat many diseases, which is why it remains relevant today.
Stones for stone therapy
The massage is performed using special natural volcanic stones that have accumulated many beneficial microelements. Only perfectly smooth and flattened stones of different diameters are used during the therapy, mainly black (basalt) or white (marble) stones.
Basalt stones retain heat for a long time, helping to relax muscles, warm the body, and soften tissues. These stones open energy channels, calm the body, and relieve tension.
Marble stones are not heated before the procedure – they are used for cooling and help maintain the body’s temperature balance.
If it is necessary to open chakras during the massage, jadeite (a semi-precious stone) is used. It cleanses the body’s energy and stabilizes it, helping a person get rid of depression.
The therapeutic effect of stone therapy
It lies in the proper use of different temperatures, which, when applied to specific points, either activate or relax them. The therapy uses 18 cold stones, 54 warm stones, and only 1 stone at room temperature.
Heat and cold from the stones penetrate the human body up to 4 cm. The therapy begins with the feet, then moves upward along the lower legs to the thighs, arms, shoulders, neck, and along the spine. The body is slowly and smoothly covered with stones of different diameters (depending on the anatomical point). The procedure is performed several times and lasts from 30 minutes to half an hour.
Hot stones accelerate all processes in the body, dilate blood vessels, and improve blood circulation. Cold stones, on the contrary, slow down metabolism and constrict blood vessels. They work through contrast, normalize metabolic processes, promote toxin removal, and eliminate energy stagnation in tissues.
They also have a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular and nervous systems as a whole, help relieve chronic fatigue, treat depression and insomnia, and support recovery after influenza and acute respiratory viral infections. They reduce muscle pain, relieve headaches, and are effective for some hormonal disorders.
Contraindications to stone therapy
- pregnancy;
- oncology;
- bronchial asthma;
- exacerbation of infectious diseases;
- diabetes mellitus;
- psoriasis;
- presence of blood clots in the vascular system;
- spinal problems.