Article contributed by Conrad & Janet Hunter, Hand & Stone Massage & Facial Spa of Mooresville

Feeling stressed? If so, relaxing into a perfectly cozy Hand & Stone massage table is just the ahhhhhhh moment you need to allow your body to release all tension and provide you with the moment you’ve worked so hard for. The best news it that Hand & Stone offers techniques that can make this moment even more relaxing: the hot stone and the Himalayan salt stone massage.

The main difference between a hot stone massage and a regular massage is that the hot stone massage involves the use of heated basalt stones to apply pressure during the massage therapy session whereas in a regular massage, the massage therapist uses pressure from their hands to focus on pressure points and muscles. The stones in a hot stone massage warm the body and loosen muscles to allow for a release of tension and stress without adding extra pressure. The feeling is both highly relaxing and therapeutic. Other benefits include an elevated mood and strengthened circulation as well as the relief of chronic aches and pains that never seem to really go away.

The Himalayan salt stone massage involves the use of a particular pink salt rock that comes from the Punjab region of Pakistan, near the base of the Himalayan Mountains. During the massage, therapists use these warmed Himalayan salt stones to apply pressure, using traditional massage techniques. During the massage, the minerals from the stones are absorbed through the skin, resulting in a profound sense of well-being. In addition, the stones’ neutral structure and natural resonant frequency help to realign energy pathways and restore balance to the central nervous system. Other benefits of a Himalayan salt stone massage include the promotion of healthy blood sugar, lower blood pressure, a healthier respiratory system, a decrease in muscle cramps, improved circulation, and anxiety relief.

You deserve to be pampered with a massage that rocks! Be sure and check out Hand & Stone’s giveaway this month on Lake Norman Woman’s Facebook page for the chance to win either a hot stone massage or a Himalayan salt stone massage. For more information, or to schedule a massage, call Hand & Stone Massage & Facial Spa in Mooresville (631 Brawley School Rd., Ste. 200; www.handandstonemooresville.com) at 704-800-5535.