What
is Gua Sha (刮痧)?
Gua Sha is an age
old bodywork technique that can be used for pretty much anything from your
daily aches and pains or headaches to chronic severe ailments.
It is used to
intentionally surface petechiae to the skin by using a scraping technique in
order to help detoxify the body and relieve pain. This unique folk healing
method is still commonly practiced in China and other parts of Asia and is
often performed in TCM clinics, hospitals, spas as well as in many Asian
households.
Gua Sha is popular
in Asia because it is a simple technique that’s easy to use, and the results
are often fast and amazing.
The word “Gua” means to scrape, and “Sha” has two meanings.
① “Sha” from a TCM point of view, refers to the stagnant blood and qi
that is blocking the meridian pathway inhibiting proper flow of energy and
blood. From a western medicine point of view, it refers to the fluids that
contain metabolic waste that is congested in the tissues and muscles.
② “Sha” also refers to a series of
reddish, minute hemorrhages that look like a red colored speckled rash called
petechia that can surface to the skin after the Gua Sha treatment.
In this bodywork
technique, a round edged tool such as a spoon is used to scrape the skin to
release the stagnant blood and qi or “sha” to the surface of the skin and
appears as a group of petechia. This may sound and even look bad, but it’s very
detoxifying and cleansing for the body. By letting your body get rid of this
old stagnant blood, new and better performing blood cells can be created.
Remember, there’s
only so much room in your body so sometimes you have to be willing to let go of
the old in order to bring in the new. Gua sha is a great method to help your
body release excess wastes and help bring in refreshing nutrients to your cells.
What
are the Benefits of Gua Sha?
This scraping
technique is used to release the body of blood stagnation. Blood stagnation is
considered to be the
cause of many diseases in TCM.
To visualize this,
you may want to compare the water from a running stream versus the water in a
still stagnant pond. The stagnant pond will be full of gunk, green moss and
other growths while the running stream will have clear water.
Our entire blood circulation
is very similar to this. When the blood is not flowing properly, it starts to
become stagnant and creates an environment more suitable for disease.
This is why Gua Sha
is such a useful technique. It can quickly release blockages in your body caused
by stagnant blood. This is because it mimics sweating and promotes body fluid
circulation which helps to normalize cellular metabolic processes and release
toxic waste from your deep cellular tissues.
It also increases
blood and qi circulation to help oxidize your cells as well as nourish them. In
other words, gua sha has two main functions where it both nourishes and
detoxifies.
One, the stroke
action used to release petechiae to the surface of the skin, forces more blood
and oxygen to the area treated which helps to nourish those cells.
Two, the actual
petechia becomes a product that signals the body to do a sweep up of the area
so that it eliminates both the dead blood cells as well as other toxins that
surfaced towards the skin during the gua sha process. After a treatment, the
patient often has immediate relief from pain, headaches, fever, chills, cough,
chest pains, nausea, stiffness, etc. After a series of treatments gua sha is
able to release enough toxins to allow the body
to find inner balance.
How
is Gua Sha performed?
The area that will
be treated will first be lubricated with Homo Cream. (It is
also beneficial to first treat the body with either a hot bath or an infrared
sauna before the treatment in order to warm up the muscles and increase blood
circulation.) A chosen area of the skin is then stroked in a downward motion
using a smooth edged device that can be made out of rock, jade, buffalo horn,
or plastic etc.
If these are
unavailable, use Magnetic Clay. The skin only
becomes red, and no petechiae surface then that means there is no “sha” in the
area and you can start scraping another part of the skin.
What
does the color of the Sha indicate?
Very Light Colored
Sha ——– Blood Deficiency
Fresh Red Sha
———————- Recent Penetration
Purple or Black
Sha———— Long Term Blood Stasis
Brown Sha —————————
Blood may be dry
Dark Red Sha
—————-May indicate heat in blood
How
long does it take the petechiae to fade?
The sha usually
fades within 2 to 4 days.
What
can Gua Sha be used for?
Gua Sha can be used
when a patient has pain, aches, tenderness, or tension in the muscles. It is
also used to prevent the common cold, flu, bronchitis, asthma, as well as any
other chronic disorders that involve the congestion of blood and qi.
Personal
Experiences.
Everyone said my
legs were slimmer and my stomach was smaller. Even now, when I can tell that my
body is out of shape or I start to have some chest problems, I’ll start using
the scraping technique. I start seeing results immediately; it never ceases to
amaze me. I really encourage people to just go out there and give this
technique a try.
Gua
Sha can assist with the following:
Fevers
Fatigue caused by
heat-stroke
Gynecological
Disorders
Headaches
Muscle and Tendon
Injuries
Sluggish Blood
Circulation
Stiffness, Pain,
Immobility
Urinary Problems
Excessive sweating
Chest Pains
Heart Palpitations
Insomnia
Memory Loss
Depression
Impotence
Tooth Pains
Swollen Throat
Weight loss
Hormonal Imbalances
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