With a large number of practitioners working with us here at the Centre for Integral Health, there are a wide range of options when it comes to classes and services that will help you with your overall wellbeing.

One service that many people are aware of, and know a lot about, is massage.

But often people assume things about massage without actually booking in and undergoing a session themselves……

A big assumption is also that it is just about relaxing for an hour - when actually the benefits include reduced stress and anxiety and promoting sleep.

We had a chat to one of Tanya Marie Green’s clients after she had experienced her first hot stone massage…..

What is hot stone massage?

Well, when I went in I assumed it was a massage that was done after hot stones had been placed down your spine - I also assumed it was just on the back and neck. But actually it is a full body massage and the stones are used throughout.

Does a hot stone massage ease tense muscles and help you to relax?

I think all massage helps you to relax and eases muscle tension but with the hot stones, for me, it was a better experience because of the heat. I thought about it afterwards and it was like a hot shower - I love having a really hot shower at the end of the day and that was the sort of feeling it gave me, topped with an amazing massage and the fact I was lying down on a comfortable bed!

The stones are made of a volcanic rock that retains heat - was it uncomfortable?

Never, Tanya checked the heat of the stones before she used them and they are smooth and were used in a fantastic way - it was almost as if the heat was just coming from Tanya’s hands. It was a wonderful feeling.

Heat has long been used to help increase blood flow, reduce muscle spasms, increase flexibility and range of motion, as well as helping with sleep and reducing stress and anxiety. How do you feel it affected you?

I definitely felt released tension in my muscles, as well as feeling relaxed I felt lighter and more positive. People around me noticed the change that night, I had more patience and was happier.

Taking an hour out where your whole body receives some TLC does so much for both the body and the mind. I also had a niggling muscle in my arm that had been twinging now and then for a while, which completely disappeared after the massage.

Were you nervous to go for a massage in the time of COVID?

No, Tanya has successfully completed her qualification on Control of Cross-infection in a Post COVID-19 world and her certificate was on display, she also wore a mask and the room was incredibly clean. I felt very safe.

You can find out more about the massage services available at the centre or book a hot stone massage with Tanya here on the website:

https://integralhealthshrewsbury.com/services/massage-manual-soft-tissue-therapy/

https://integralhealthshrewsbury.com/about-us/our-practitioners/tanya-marie-green/