Hot stone therapy uses the beneficial aspects of warmth and moisture combined with the therapeutic strokes of massage therapy to provide a deep, relaxing and healing treatment. The warmth of the massage stones increases the temperature of the skin to allow it to soak up moisturizing and therapeutic oils. At the same time, the musculature of the body is prepared so the therapist can massage into the deeper muscles layers.

Basalt is the most common type of igneous rock used in hot stone massage and is extrusive, which means that it forms when molten lava cools following a volcanic eruption. Basalt stone holds heat really well due to the fact that is has a high specific gravity as well as it is composed largely of silica with trace amounts of iron and magnesium. There are companies that sell stones for massage that are other than basalt. If you are looking to buy yourself a high quality stone set or massage stone at wholesale prices, it is best to buy from companies that sell only certified massage stone. This way you can ensure that you provide your clients with a relaxing massage as well as your customers with quality massage stone sets.

While it is very important to use basalt stone for massage stone therapy, it is equally important to follow "best practice" procedures to make sure that your client has a calming, comforting and effective hot stone massage. Take a look at the 7 tips listed below for providing a relaxing and effective hot stone massage. Following this advice will help you make sure that you provide your client an experience that they will enjoy.

You can learn more about hot stone therapy by visiting the many resources on the Internet. Many websites will give you more detailed information about the uses of basalt stone as well as how and why people started using it as a part of massage therapy. One website that gives more information on this subject is Wikipedia.