Gua Sha

Gua sha, based on the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine's twelve meridians and eight extraordinary vessels, and following the principle of treating the superficial symptoms first in emergencies, uses manual techniques to strongly stimulate the meridians, causing local skin redness and congestion. This achieves the effects of reviving consciousness, rescuing from collapse, detoxifying, dispelling evil, clearing heat, relieving exterior symptoms, promoting qi and relieving pain, strengthening the spleen, and harmonizing the stomach.

Gua sha is a safe and effective Traditional Chinese Medicine treatment method, applicable to the treatment and prevention of various symptoms and diseases.

I. What are the benefits or effects of Gua Sha?

1. Activates blood circulation and removes blood stasis

Gua sha, by stimulating skin and blood vessel tissue, can clear blood vessels and dissipate blood stasis, thus achieving the effect of activating blood circulation and removing blood stasis. This is particularly effective in treating diseases caused by poor blood circulation, such as cervical spondylosis and lumbar disc herniation.

2. Clears heat and detoxifies

Gua sha can dredge meridians and disperse Qi, helping to clear heat and detoxify, and promote the elimination of toxins and dampness from the body. This is particularly suitable for treating symptoms caused by internal heat, such as colds and heatstroke.

3. Supplements the center and benefits Qi

Gua sha, through specific techniques and acupoints, can nourish blood, and regulate Qi and blood, achieving the effect of supplementing the center and benefiting Qi. This helps to improve physical constitution and enhance physical strength.

4. Regulates Yin and Yang

Gua sha can adjust the functions of internal organs, balancing the Yin and Yang of the internal organs. This has a certain therapeutic effect on various symptoms caused by Yin and Yang imbalance, such as insomnia and dysmenorrhea.

5. Relaxes muscles and promotes Qi circulation

Gua sha can relax tense or spasmodic muscles and relieve pain. This is very effective in treating muscle pain and joint pain caused by muscle tension.

6. Detoxifies and beautifies

Gua sha can cause local tissue hyperemia, accelerating the elimination of waste and toxins from the body, thereby purifying the blood, enhancing overall immunity, and achieving the effect of beauty and skin rejuvenation.

7. Disease prevention and treatment

Gua sha can not only be used to treat existing diseases but also for disease prevention and health care. For example, regular gua sha can strengthen Wei Qi and improve the body's resistance to disease.

II. Precautions before and after Gua Sha?

1. After Gua Sha (pores are open), do not bathe for four to six hours to prevent cold and dampness from entering the body.

2. Drink a cup of hot (warm) water after Gua Sha to replenish the body's fluid consumption, promote metabolism, and accelerate the excretion of metabolic products.

3. Keep warm after Gua Sha. It is recommended to prepare long-sleeved shirts, long trousers, and a hat in advance.

4. Avoid Gua Sha on an empty stomach, after overeating, or after excessive fatigue.

5. Gua Sha does not need to forcefully bring out Sha. It usually takes 5-7 days for Sha to subside after Gua Sha.

6. Avoid wind, rain, and cold during and after Gua Sha.

III. Contraindications of Gua Sha

1. Patients with acute infectious diseases, severe heart disease, hypertension, stroke, and other critical conditions, as well as kidney failure, liver cirrhosis with ascites, or severe generalized edema.

2. After a full meal or on an empty stomach, and patients who are afraid of Gua Sha.

3. Patients with leukemia, hemophilia, thrombocytopenic purpura, and other hemorrhagic or coagulation disorders.

4. Pregnant women, those who are excessively fatigued, the elderly with chronic illnesses, those who are extremely weak, are prohibited from using Gua Sha therapy.

5. The five sense organs, including the eyes, ears, nostrils, tongue, and lips, as well as the nipples, front and back private parts, and navel (Shenque point), are prohibited from being scraped.

6. Gua Sha is prohibited on areas with highly sensitive skin, skin scars, skin diseases (such as skin damage, burns, ulcers, sores, carbuncles, abscesses), fresh or unhealed wounds, and areas with traumatic fractures.

7. Avoid heavy scraping on areas where large blood vessels are visible.

8. Use Gua Sha with caution during menstruation for women.