Gua Sha
While it may seem barbaric to scrape the skin and cause damage to tissues on purpose, the after-effects of symptom relief and increased mobility are undeniable. It works so well, patients come in asking for it! Gua Sha can be used to increase circulation and stimulate healing in areas of pain, like the neck, back, shoulders, arms, hips and lateral thighs. It can also be used to open the lungs during illness, on the mid or low back for digestive problems, *gently* over the lymphatic system for drainage, over the liver for detox and along ligaments and tendons that have contractures or nodules, such as in dupuytren’s contracture of the hand. In the current research, Gua Sha is proving to be anti-inflammatory, as well as immune protective.
Procedure: A small amount of liniment or oil is applied to the skin in the area being treated. Then, a tool, like a flat jade or a Chinese soup spoon (pictured below), is slid across the skin, usually in downward or lateral strokes. Redness is obtained in anywhere from 5-20 strokes and the appearance of this redness is called “Sha”. Depending on the size of the area, this procedure can take about 1-10 minutes.
Does it hurt?: For a moment, as the strokes increase in number, there may be discomfort, like a scraping pressure. Some discomfort will be necessary for the therapy to be of most benefit, however, respect for the client is always #1. I will tell you to let me know if your limit is being reached. Communication is important here!
Aftercare: If you can go home, relax, stay warm and have some warm healthy food (like Vietnamese Pho, bone broth or soup) and go to bed early, you will get the most out of your treatment. If you can’t, do your best to stay warm and covered in the area we worked and your neck. Do not let yourself get the chills. No shower, bath or hot tub until the next day. Stay away from fried foods and alcohol. Drink tea and A LOT of water. Stay WARM!!
You may find you are sore and that is normal. If we have done yoga or qi-gong together, now is a great time to move through what you remember. Any mild movement, a walk (stay well covered if it is cold outside), some gentle sun salutations and big, full belly breaths will be of great benefit to you. Do not work up a large, dripping sweat for 48 hours. The marks on your skin will turn purply-red and then yellowish like a bruise does, and will usually be gone in about 5-7 days.
For more information about the research on Gua Sha, please visit: The Science of Gua Sha from Pacific College of Oriental Medicine