What is Gua Sha?
Gua sha is a natural traditional Chinese medicine healing technique used to improve circulation and reduce pain by gently scraping the skin with a smooth stone. Rubbing the skin’s surface breaks up blocked energy, reduces inflammation, and promotes healing.
Gua sha is usually performed on a person’s back, neck, arms, and legs. A gentle version is used on the face, head, and shoulders to enhance massage and stimulate acupressure points.
What are the benefits of Gua Sha?
Gua sha is understood to reduce inflammation and pain by stimulating microcirculation, it is often used to treat conditions such as musculoskeletal and joint pain.
Is Gua Sha painful?
The treatment should not be painful. Clients usually find the therapy enjoyable as they have immediate relief from pain at the affected area.
Are there any side effects or risks with Gua Sha?
Gua sha creates distinctive bruises, known as sha by deliberately bursting tiny blood capillaries under the skin. These usually take a few days or a week to heal and can be tender while healing.
Gua sha is not suitable for everybody. People who should not have Gua Sha include those:
- who have medical conditions affecting the veins or skin
- who bleed easily
- who have deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
- who take blood thinning medication
- who have an infection, tumour, or wound that has not healed fully
- who have an implant, such as a pacemaker or internal defibrillator
