Hot stone massage in Citrus County, and what the heat does
30 min · $45
The heat does part of the work, so the pressure does not have to. That suits some people far better than being leaned on.
Never had a massage? Read this first.
There are a few things worth checking first
What I do with the stones
Some of them rest on the back while I work elsewhere. Most of them are in my hand, used the way I'd use a thumb or a forearm, with the warmth going in ahead of the pressure. They're basalt, and they warm in a stainless steel heater beside the table.
Because the heat softens tissue first, I can stay at a moderate pressure and still reach a layer that would otherwise have me leaning on you. If deep tissue has been too much for you in the past, this is worth trying before you decide massage isn't for you.
Why I ask whether you can feel heat
The thing that goes wrong with hot stones is a burn, and it goes wrong when somebody can't feel that a stone is too hot. That comes up often around here. Reduced sensation in the feet and hands is common, particularly with diabetes, and plenty of people have it without having put a name to it.
So what I ask you is whether you can feel heat normally everywhere I might work. Most people expect me to ask whether they like it hot, which is the easier question. If you cannot feel it, or you are not sure, we do not use stones there, and you get a very good massage without them.
I test every stone against my own forearm before it touches you, and I keep asking as we go. If it's too warm, say so and it comes straight off. You're meant to tell me.
Half an hour, or added to an hour
Most people have it as part of a session. Stones added to whatever you were already booking are $20, and that does not take time away from the hands-on work.
The standalone half hour is $45. It is there if you already know the heat suits you. If you have never had it, add it to a massage first.
Questions
Is it hot enough to burn?
The stones are hot enough that you notice them and not hot enough to hurt. I test each one on my own forearm before it goes near you, and I ask you as we go. If a stone is too warm it comes off immediately, so say so. Don't wait to see if it settles.
Can I have hot stone if I'm diabetic?
Sometimes, and it depends on whether you can feel heat normally where I'd be working. Where sensation is reduced I won't use stones, because you wouldn't be able to tell me one was too hot. If you aren't sure, ask your doctor, and tell me either way, because I'd rather work around it than guess.
Do I book the half hour, or add it to a massage?
Add it, if you are new to it. It goes onto any session and it does not shorten the hands-on part. Book the half hour on its own once you know you like it.
Will it help my arthritis?
I cannot tell you what it will do for your joints. What I can tell you is what happens in the room. The stones are warm, the pressure stays moderate, and plenty of the people I see with stiff, achy joints tell me that is easier to take than somebody leaning on them. You can change your mind halfway through, though, and we will put the stones away.