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HYATT REGENCY CALGARY STILLWATER SPA
OFFERS BLACKBERRY BALM HAND MASSAGE

As PDA (personal digital assistant) usage increases, business people are fingering, thumbing and text messaging their way to new aches and pains. Stillwater Spa, at the Hyatt Regency Calgary, offers tech-savvy business travelers Blackberry Balm hand massages to help relieve "blue thumb" from Blackberry use and tenderness from their Treo's.

Developed at Stillwater's sister spa, Spa Avania at Hyatt Regency Gainey Ranch, the massage incorporates acupressure techniques, designed to relieve stress and tension from rigorous typing and text messaging on PDAs. Therapists first warm hands with soothing rocks and an aromatic hot towel. They then use kneading and compressions to loosen muscles, while applying warm oil. Therapists knead and stretch deltoids, biceps, triceps, flexors and extensors, and use acupressure massage techniques on hands and arms. The 30-minute treatment ends with an aromatic hot towel cleansing on each hand.

The massage incorporates Blackberry Balm, which contains natural blackberry powder, an anti-oxidant, a natural exfoliant, to reduce inflammation, cajaput, a cousin to tea tree, with antibacterial and anti-inflammatory qualities, camphor oil, which reduces inflammation and tension in muscles, and cinnamon, clove and peppermint to improve circulation.

After the treatment, spa-goers receive Blackberry Balm with instructions for at-home use.