Hot Stones Flashcards
(12 cards)
How long ago did the Chinese use heated stones, and for what purpose?
Over 2,000 years ago, the Chinese applied heated stones to support the function of internal organs.
Which regions historically used stones in healing practices?
Cultures in North and South America, Africa, Europe, Egypt, India, and China incorporated stones into healing traditions.
What were some traditional uses of stones in healing practices?
Stones were placed on the body in specific patterns, worn or carried for wellness, and used in diagnostic, therapeutic, and ceremonial contexts like sweat lodges and medicine wheels.
How were basalt and marble stones traditionally used by healers?
Hot basalt stones were used to relieve menstrual cramps, and cold marble stones were used to reduce bleeding after childbirth.
Who introduced hot stone therapy to massage, and when?
Mary Nelson introduced (or reintroduced) hot stone therapy into the massage world in 1993.
What types of modern applications exist for hot stone therapy?
Full-body treatments, deep tissue techniques, aesthetics industry applications, hot stone meridian therapy, energy-based practices like Reiki, polarity therapy, craniosacral work, and chakra balancing.
What stones are used in hot stone massage and where are they placed?
Heated basalt stones and cooled marble stones are placed on specific body areas to produce local, systemic, or reflexive effects.
What are the indications for hot stone massage?
• Elevated muscle resting tension
• Preparation for trigger point, myofascial, or scar tissue work
• Chronic healing stages and chronic pain (non-inflammatory arthritis)
• Warming a chilled patient
• Anxiety and stress
• Detoxification (including addiction recovery)
• Insomnia
• Menstrual cramps
• Spastic constipation
• Respiratory congestion
• Poor circulation
What are the local effects of hot stones (per Term 2 heat notes)?
• Passive derivation
• Increased local metabolism
• Increased fascial excursion
• Decreased joint stiffness
What are the systemic effects of hot stone therapy?
• Sedation through decreased sympathetic nervous system firing
• Influences the limbic system to reduce anxiety
• Increases sweating and elimination
What are contraindications and cautions for hot stone massage?
• Contraindications to heat modalities
• Caution over bare skin and bony prominences
• A cool washcloth is used after treatment to balance circulation and prevent significant heat loss
How are stones used methodologically in treatment?
• Stones are placed on areas like the spine, limbs, between fingers/toes, or held in the hands
• Larger stones can be placed on the sacrum
• Patient should be informed when a stone is being placed
• Stones are left on for at least 10 minutes (local effects) or 20 minutes (systemic/reflex effects)
• Stones can be used as an extension of the therapist’s hands for fascial or scar tissue work
