In accepting massage in its hospitals, the US healthcare service is opening itself to the increasing body of scientific evidence showing massage as an effective treatment. Until a few years ago, the medical profession resisted holding clinical trials to test “alternative” remedies. Such studies as existed in other countries were treated with some contempt. Massage was nothing more that an indulgence in high-priced spas. Now the manipulation of the soft tissues by a skilled therapist is acknowledged to reduce physical pain, relieve stress and bring down blood pressure. The methods differ depending on the purpose of the treatment. In general, the therapist will press, manipulate and rub the relevant parts of the body. Most techniques rely on the use of the hands and fingers, but others use the forearm, elbow and, in a few cases, the feet. The pressure may be light and involve gentle stroking. Or it can involve the use of significant pressure to knead and reach down to deep layers of muscle.

If you are experiencing muscle spasms, i.e. an involuntary contraction like cramp that persists, the combination of massage therapy and the use of a muscle relaxant like skelaxin has been found particularly effective. This most commonly occurs in the back, buttocks and legs. It may be from a physical cause such as a herniated disk or sciatica with pain radiating from the nerve. The manipulation of the disk can rapidly reduce pain and improve mobility. As the more acute symptoms are relieved, the drug will ease the problems in the muscles and reduce the risk of further spasms. In the case of sciatica, more aggressive treatment may be required in the use of steroids or, if the pain does not subside, surgery. But, in all this, the therapist will be able to guide you through the process of relieving the acute symptoms and planning a rehabilitation regime to reduce the risk of the problems recurring. At this time, it is most useful if your doctor and the therapist work as a team. That gives you the best advice on the use of prescription painkillers and drugs like skelaxin, while receiving comprehensive physical therapy. It delays treatment and can lead to misunderstandings if you constantly have to move between different hospital or clinic departments.

Unlike hot stone massage wherein basalt stones are heated in water, cold stone massage makes use of marble stones. While basalt is good in retaining heat due to its mineral and iron content, marble on the other hand is effective in maintaining a cold temperature. In either hot or cold massage, these stones help in penetrating their temperature into the body’s muscles which gives out a fulfilling massage experience as a result.

Cold stones are usually used on different parts of the body as a decongestant. These stones are responsible for relieving the swelling in the circulatory system and this is the reason why it offers a lot of potential for treating a number of ailments. For instance, if you are suffering from a sport injury wherein a specific muscle or join is swelling, a good cold stone massage therapy can aid in releasing the accumulation of blood in the tissue and muscle. Dark circles that form under your eyes are also due to the accumulation of blood in the tissue surrounding it that is why you can get of this by using small stones to rest on the eyes. This will help in relieving the tired and puffy appearance.

Choosing this type of massage over hot stone therapy, you have to reflect on the situation. The following are facts that you have to consider when opting for cold stone massage:

• There are cases when a patient has to undergo a cold stone massage rather than the hot one. This is because this type of massage is sometimes more preferred medically. For example, if a patient’s muscle is sore or if the muscle tissue is already damaged, the heat from the basalt stone could worsen the pain and possible damage on the tissue. That is why it is better to go through a cold stone therapy in cases such as this.

• It also provides patients more options. There are instances as well wherein some people would rather feel the cold stones on their body rather than the heated ones.

• The use of marble stones in cold massage therapy is outstanding when it comes to reducing swelling. As mentioned above, once a tissue starts swelling because of a certain physical activity, using heat can possibly worsen the swelling and the subsequent pain. On the other hand, marble helps in spreading the swelling throughout the entire circulatory system hence it makes the healing process faster.

• It aids in revitalizing certain body parts and can also help in rejuvenating patients.

Although hot stone massages are highly effective, it is definitely not for everyone. That is why we always have to consider the situation first before scheduling a session with your favorite massage therapist.

I write for AML Stone Source, the leading basalt stones supplies provider. They carry products such as massage stone, as well as many other accessories for hot and cold stone therapy.