A Brief History of Spa

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Although the proliferation of spas in recent years might lead one to think that they are a recent development of the 20th century, the earliest spas -- or "baths" -- date back several thousand years to various civilizations, including Mesopotamia, Egypt and ancient Greece. But it was during the time of the Roman Empire that baths began making the transformations that would eventually lay the groundwork for the spas we have come to know today.

There are several theories suggesting how the word "spa" came into being, including the Latin word "espa," meaning fountain, or the word "spagere," meaning bubble up, to scatter, sprinkle or moisten. Other possible origins include "Salus Per Aquam," Latin for health by water; "Solus Per Aqua," meaning to enter through water; "Salut Per Aqua," Latin for health or relaxation through water; and "Sanitas Per Aquas," for health through water.

Initially, the Romans used natural hot springs and thermal baths as a means of health and wellness, initially for the benefit of wounded soldiers. Over time, however, thermal and mineral baths evolved into elaborate structures, used for socializing and relaxation, as well as continued medical treatment.

Today, spas fill many of the same needs as they did thousands of years ago, including relaxation, wellness and stress relief by incorporating many of the same methods embraced by the ancients such as a multitude of hydrotherapy treatments, body scrubs and massage therapy, one of the most widely used spa treatments.


Massage Therapy

Massage therapy is recognized as one of the oldest methods of healing, with references in medical texts nearly 4,000 years old. In fact, Hippocrates, known as the "father of medicine," referenced massage when he wrote, in the 4th century B.C.: "The physician must be acquainted with many things, and assuredly with rubbing."

Now a days, in addition to "rubbing," massage therapy, often referred to as bodywork or somatic therapy, refers to the application of various techniques to the muscular structure and soft tissues of the body that include applying fixed or movable pressure, holding, vibration, rocking, friction, kneading and compression using primarily the hands, although massage therapists do use other areas of the body, such as the forearms, elbows or feet. All of the techniques are used for the benefit of the musculoskeletal, circulatory-lymphatic, nervous, and other systems of the body. In fact, massage therapy positively influences the overall health and well-being of the client. It's physical and mental benefits include:

Relaxing the whole body
Loosening and relieving tired, aching and tight muscles
Increasing flexibility and range of motion
Diminishing chronic pain
Calming the nervous system
Lowering blood pressure and heart rate
Enhancing skin tone
Aiding in recovery following injuries and illness
Strengthening the immune system
Reducing headaches and mental stress
Improving relaxation
Promoting restful sleep

Compliments of SpaTherapy.com

Melt Your Aches with Hot Stone Massage!

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(article by Jon Lumsden © 2003 Massage Marketing. All rights reserved.)

Your personal condition sets the stage for how you experience each day of your life. It’s only natural to want to feel the best you can. Those who take an active role in improving their overall health know that one needs to address all aspects of life —the emotional and mental as well as the physical. A great way to accomplish this is to help your body to relax with regular massages.

If you are interested in experiencing the best bodywork session possible, you’re going to love a massage that incorporates hot stones! Combining the many benefits of massage with the addition of soothing, penetrating heat, this treatment will take your bodywork sessions to a new level.

How does bodywork help?

One of the main reasons massage is able to do so much to improve health and function is the way it helps to deal with stress. According to Sandra McLanahan, M.D., “Massage therapy is beneficial for almost all diseases. Eighty percent of disease is stress-related, and massage reduces stress.”

Your body does much of its maintenance, regeneration and healing while you are resting. It follows that when your body is more relaxed, it will be better equipped to do its job and keep you healthier. Relieving the stress and tension that so easily accumulates in your neck, shoulders and back can help to open your body’s lines of communication. And when the stress goes, you feel like a brand-new person, happy and alive!

What part do the stones play?

Massage alone does a great job of bringing about this relaxation of tense muscles, etc. By adding the penetrating heat of these smooth stones, the result you can experience is enhanced greatly.

Adding this comforting source of warmth increases both the speed and degree of relaxation you’ll experience. Additionally, this deeper state of muscular relaxation allows a more intense level of bodywork on those trouble areas with little or no lingering soreness afterward.

Most of us have used a heating pad or hot water bottle on an aching neck or back and know how soothing the application of heat can be. Now imagine the combination of relaxing massage strokes and heated stones loosening all those tense muscles and relaxing your joints. The deep, penetrating heat draws blood into the area, increasing circulation and creating an extremely relaxed state.

An ancient therapy rediscovered...

Though relatively new in our modern culture, hot stones have been used therapeutically for thousands of years. The ancient civilizations in Egypt, China, and Japan as well as North American Indians all found beneficial treatments using the soothing stones. From a means of alleviating pain and stress to helping with menstrual discomfort and even serving as an aid during childbirth, the hot stones helped our ancient ancestors deal with many of their physical complaints and to pursue improved health.

Too often in modern society, the common approach to dealing with pain and discomfort is to mask the sensations with pain-killing drugs. A much better approach is to do something that works to handle the source of the problem. Helping your body deal with tension and soreness has never been more enjoyable, thanks to the availability of hot stone massage.


In summary, incorporating hot stone therapy into your bodywork sessions:

• Increases circulation
• Increases metabolism
• Decreases pain
• Decreases muscle spasm
• Decreases joint and tissue stiffness

This article is excerpted from the Staying in Touch client education newsletter: Hot Stone Massage.