CHARLOTTE – In massage there are various modalities that involve heat during the massage as well as cold. One or the other can be used, or both can be incorporated. Let’s look at the pros for each.

During massage, most places have a heated table. This could be used as an added level of comfort, allowing the heat to relax your body and helping relax your muscles and your mind. As a massage therapist, it assists in relaxing you one side of your body in hopes when I go to work on the warmed-up muscles, they will be more pliable and not as stressed to work with. Some therapists might use hot stones as a way to warm certain parts or areas of the body. These stones are typically smooth rock that is heated in a warmer and then transferred to various parts of the body during your session.

In addition, one may even find a heating pad to be placed on certain areas as an additional way to heat up the tissues. For one client, I heat up their feet as they have some neuropathy to deal with. I take extra care when doing this because they might not be able to tell the heat intensity because of nerve damage.

Be sure to ask your therapist if heat is beneficial to your massage goals and come up with a plan to add it to your massage experience. Next week we’ll address cold and it’s part in your massage.

-Lisa Lane (#13098) is a licensed massage and bodywork therapist that owns Massage Sanctuary in the Mint Hill area.