Gua Sha is a simple yet effective health care method. However, many people only think of Gua Sha for the shoulders, neck, and back. In fact, performing Gua Sha on other parts of the body can also help alleviate various discomforts! Below, we will teach you how to perform Gua Sha on different areas and what symptoms it can help regulate.
The article is quite long, so it is recommended to save it for a slow read…
1. Gua Sha on the Head
Performing Gua Sha on the head can accelerate blood circulation in the head, achieve calming and soothing effects, and awaken the mind, which is beneficial for relieving headaches, insomnia, tension, and fatigue.
【Position】: Sit upright, keep the head straight, let the shoulders drop, and loosen the hair for easier operation.
【Related Examination】: Check for any injuries, boils, or lumps on the head.
【Gua Sha Steps】:
① Top of the Head
Scrape the Baihui (百会) point along the midline of the head 10-20 times, then use a circular scraping method on the Sishencong (四神聪) point for 10-20 circles.
② Front of the Head
Scrape from Baihui along the Du Meridian towards the forehead 10-20 times, then scrape the Bladder Meridian on the front side of the head 10-20 times, starting with the left side and then the right side.
③ Back of the Head
Scrape from Baihui along the Du Meridian towards the back of the head down to the neck, then scrape the Bladder Meridian on the back side of the head 10-20 times, starting with the left side and then the right side.
④ Both Sides of the Head
Starting from the temples, scrape along the Gallbladder Meridian and Sanjiao Meridian towards Fengchi (风池). Start with the left side and then the right side.
Note: Avoid scraping near the ears.
2. Gua Sha on the Shoulders, Neck, Waist, and Back
Performing Gua Sha on the shoulders and neck can eliminate fatigue and relieve muscle soreness, mainly addressing neck pain, headaches, throat pain, cervical spondylosis, shoulder periarthritis, and shoulder muscle strain. The Shu points on the waist and back are the points for the infusion of the organs’ vital energy, and Gua Sha on the waist and back can regulate the physiological functions of various organs, enhance immunity, and prevent chronic diseases.
【Position】: Bend forward, sit upright, with both hands resting on the back of the chair. If you have long hair, tie it up for easier operation.
【Related Examination】: Exclude conditions such as cervical tuberculosis or cervical fractures, and check for any skin lesions.
【Scraping Steps】:
① Scrape the Neck
Scrape the Du Meridian from Fengfu (风府) to Dazhui (大椎), then scrape from the left Bladder Meridian Tianzhu (天柱) to Dazhu (大杼), and from the left Gallbladder Meridian Fengchi to Jianjing (肩井), and then to the acromion. Complete the left side first, then the right side.
② Scrape the Shoulders
Scrape the back of the shoulder to the axillary line for 10-20 times, then use a circular scraping method on the Tianzong (天宗) point for 10-20 circles, and scrape along the inner edge of the scapula in an arc. Complete the left side first, then the right side. For the front of the shoulder, scrape to the axillary line from top to bottom in an arc for 10-20 times, completing the left side first, then the right side.
③ Scrape the Back
▲ Scrape along the midline of the back from Dazhui to Changqiang (长强), which can be done in segments for 10-20 times. For those with a lean body, it is advisable to use point-pressing and kneading methods to adjust the intervertebral spaces.
▲ Scrape the Jiaji (夹脊) points located 0.5 inches from the spine (using a straight scraping method), first on the left and then on the right, for 10-20 times, which can also be done in segments.
④ Scrape the Waist
▲ Scrape the Bladder Meridian located 1.5 inches and 3 inches from the Du Meridian using a straight scraping method from top to bottom for 10-20 times. This can also be done in segments.
▲ When scraping the waist, scrape from the Shenshu (肾俞) to the Daimai (带脉) point for 10-20 times, first on the left side, then on the right side.
▲ Scrape the eight sacral points from top to bottom, or use a friction method.
Note:
▲ For patients with heart disease and weak constitution, standing scraping is not recommended.
▲ When scraping the back, use even techniques for both tonifying and reducing, and try to extend the scraping.
3. Gua Sha on the Chest and Abdomen
▲ The chest is where the heart and lungs reside, and Gua Sha can enhance their functions, greatly benefiting patients with chest tightness, shortness of breath, coronary heart disease, angina, chronic bronchitis, and asthma. Additionally, Gua Sha can also help regulate women’s mastitis and mammary gland hyperplasia.
▲ The abdomen houses the liver, gallbladder, spleen, stomach, kidneys, bladder, large intestine, and small intestine. Gua Sha on the abdomen can enhance the digestive and absorption functions of the gastrointestinal tract and improve immunity. Furthermore, it can also help regulate diarrhea, constipation, abdominal bloating, loss of appetite, and obesity.
【Position】: Lie on your back or sit upright against a support.
【Related Examination】: Check for any skin lesions, rashes, or scars on the chest and abdomen, and exclude any chest deformities or fractures.
【Scraping Steps】:
① Scrape the Chest
▲ Scrape the Ren Meridian on the chest from Tiantu (天突) to Jiuwei (鸠尾) for 10-20 times using a slow scraping method.
▲ Scrape the intercostal spaces from the midline to both sides for 10-20 times, first on the left and then on the right.
② Scrape the Breasts
▲ Scrape from the Yingshuang (膺窗), Yuanyue (渊液), Rugen (乳根), and Shenfeng (神封) points radially towards the nipple (avoiding the nipple), using even techniques for tonifying and reducing.
▲ Scrape the entire chest, generally for 10-15 minutes.
③ Scrape the Abdomen
▲ Scrape along the midline of the abdomen from Jiuwei to the point above the navel (avoiding the navel), and from below the navel to the Zhongji (中极) point.
▲ Scrape along the Stomach Meridian line, which is 2 inches to the side of the midline, from top to bottom for 20-30 times, first on the left side and then on the right side.
▲ Scrape along the Spleen Meridian line, which is 4 inches to the side of the midline, from top to bottom for 20-30 times, first on the left side and then on the right side. The general scraping time for the abdomen is 15-20 minutes.
▲ For constipation, use the scraping tool to scrape clockwise around the navel for 10-20 circles; for diarrhea, scrape counterclockwise around the navel for 10-20 circles.
Note:
▲ When scraping the chest, avoid heavy scraping for patients with severe heart and lung diseases.
▲ Women should avoid scraping the nipples and the navel (Shenque point).
▲ Scraping is prohibited for patients who are fasting, within half an hour after meals, those who have recently undergone abdominal surgery, have gastrointestinal bleeding, or intestinal perforation.
4. Gua Sha on the Limbs
▲ Scraping the upper limbs along the pathways of the Hand Three Yin (肺, 心包, 心) and Hand Three Yang (大肠, 三焦, 小肠) meridians can regulate the corresponding organ functions, alleviating cough, asthma, chest tightness, chest pain, headaches, toothaches, and shoulder and back stiffness, while also regulating systemic diseases such as limb numbness, joint pain, dizziness, hypertension, and heart disease.
▲ Scraping the lower limbs along the pathways of the Foot Three Yin (脾, 肝, 肾) and Foot Three Yang (胃, 胆, 膀胱) meridians can regulate the corresponding organ functions, addressing related diseases such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, frequent urination, lumbar disc herniation, sciatica, and lumbar muscle strain.
【Position】: Sit upright against a support or lie on your back, exposing the skin of the limbs.
【Related Examination】: Check for any skin lesions and exclude fractures or dislocations.
【Scraping Steps】:
① Scrape the Upper Limbs
First, scrape the outer side of the Hand Three Yang (大肠, 三焦, 小肠) meridian line from top to bottom in one direction, scraping each area 10-20 times. Then scrape the inner side of the Hand Three Yin (肺, 心包, 心) meridian line from top to bottom in one direction, scraping each area 10-20 times.
② Scrape the Lower Limbs
First, scrape the outer side of the Foot Three Yang (胃, 胆, 膀胱) meridian line, dividing the back side at the knee joint into upper and lower segments, scraping each area 10-20 times in one direction from top to bottom. Then scrape the inner side of the Foot Three Yin (脾, 肝, 肾) meridian line, dividing the back side at the knee joint into upper and lower segments, scraping each area 10-20 times in one direction from top to bottom.
③ Scrape the Knee Joint.
Use a curved scraping method, following the shape of the knee joint, scraping from top to bottom. For the knee points, you can use point-pressing methods, and for Weizhong (委中), you can use tapping methods.
Note:
▲ When scraping the limbs, try to extend the scraping.
▲ Avoid scraping over unknown lumps, lesions, or infections.
▲ For lower limb edema and varicose veins, use reverse scraping methods.
▲ Due to the risk of skin breakdown and slow healing in diabetic patients, heavy scraping is prohibited.
After reading the article, do you feel overwhelmed with information? No worries, such a wealth of Gua Sha knowledge should be digested slowly! Feel free to share or save it for easy access during practice!
—— Thank you for sharing, helping more families understand life better——
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