Hot stone massage in London, Ontario

At Dolphin Dive, yes, in the same way any of our massage therapy is. Hot stone here is delivered by a Registered Massage Therapist, so you receive a massage therapy receipt that you can submit to your extended health plan. Coverage depends on your individual plan, so check your massage therapy limit if you are unsure. This is the main practical difference between booking hot stone with an RMT and booking it at a spa, where the full cost usually stays with you.

Warm rather than hot. The stones are heated in a temperature-controlled water bath and your therapist tests each one against their own skin before it goes anywhere near you. Placement stones sit on a towel rather than directly on bare skin. It takes a few minutes for the heat to fully come through, so speak up whenever a stone stops feeling comfortable and it will be adjusted or removed.

No, and we will not book it. Heat applied this way is not recommended during pregnancy. Our prenatal massage is built for pregnancy instead, with side-lying positioning and full bolster support. Hot stone is a good thing to come back for once you are postpartum, and it is a genuinely restorative option at that stage.

The $25 add-on brings heated stones into a massage you have already booked, focused on the back, shoulders and feet, and adds 15 minutes to your appointment. A standalone hot stone session is the full protocol from start to finish: full-body placement, stones worked throughout, and the whole session built around them. If you are curious, the add-on is a low-commitment way to find out whether you like it.

Both, and there is no need to choose. It is a genuinely relaxing hour, and it is also massage therapy delivered by a registered practitioner who takes your health history, works to what your tissue needs, and issues a claimable receipt. Nothing about it being pleasant makes it less therapeutic.

Deep tissue if you want focused, firm work on a specific problem area and you tolerate pressure well. Hot stone if the tension is widespread, if you find firm pressure uncomfortable, or if the thing you most need is to stop being wound up. Warmth lets your therapist reach depth without pushing as hard, which suits people who tense up against firm work. If you are not sure, book either one and tell your therapist what you are after. They will adapt.

Most people feel warm, loose and noticeably sleepy. Drink water, avoid anything strenuous for the rest of the day, and expect to sleep well that night. As with any deeper massage work, you may feel some tenderness the next day. If anything feels off beyond that, get in touch and let us know.