Does Gua Sha Hurt? It Depends on Your “Flow”
There is a famous saying in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM): “When there is flow, there is no pain; when there is pain, there is no flow.” This means that when the body’s meridians are open, the body functions normally without pain or discomfort, while blocked meridians can lead to pain or illness.
For example, people who often sit in front of a computer or frequently use their phones tend to maintain a fixed posture for long periods, which directly affects the circulation of qi and blood in the shoulders and neck, leading to the accumulation of lactic acid and resulting in shoulder and neck soreness, tingling, and stiffness.
Why does moving around or gently squeezing feel better? It is because movement promotes the flow of qi and blood, allowing lactic acid to be metabolized and eliminated.
Another example is many young women experience dysmenorrhea. TCM believes that the cause of dysmenorrhea is due to pathogenic factors (mainly cold and dampness) invading the body during or around the menstrual period, leading to poor circulation of qi and blood in the Chong and Ren meridians, causing blood stasis in the uterus, or the Chong and Ren meridians and uterus failing to be warmed, which triggers dysmenorrhea.
Why do many women find comfort in holding a warm pack or drinking hot water during their menstrual period? This external “heat” warms the uterus, accelerates blood circulation, and alleviates stasis.
Therefore, whether Gua Sha hurts or not primarily depends on whether your body is “flowing”. If Yang Chenglin has purple or even black bruises on her neck, it indicates a serious blockage!
Does Gua Sha Hurt? The “Tools”, “Medium”, and “Technique” Matter
Gua Sha Tools — To reduce pain during Gua Sha, the surface of the Gua Sha board must be smooth. (In many bathhouses, coins are used for Gua Sha, and you can imagine how painful that would be!)
Gua Sha Medium — A medium is essential during Gua Sha to ensure lubrication and reduce pain. (It is recommended to use pure plant essential oils, which not only provide lubrication but also deliver the effective substances contained in the oils to the tissues, organs, and cells.)
Gua Sha Technique — The techniques of Gua Sha include nourishing methods (slow speed, light pressure), draining methods (fast speed, heavy pressure), and balanced methods (between nourishing and draining). A professional Gua Sha practitioner will adapt their technique based on individual conditions (deficiency vs. excess, cold vs. heat, exterior vs. interior, yin vs. yang, and pressure tolerance).
If all three aspects meet the requirements, the pain experienced by the recipient will be significantly reduced.
Does Gua Sha Hurt? It Depends on Your “Tension” Level
Are you surprised? What does pain have to do with “tension”?
Answer: There is definitely a connection. Consider the two states of tension and relaxation; which one makes your sense of touch more sensitive? When you are tense, all your attention is focused on the Gua Sha board and the area being scraped, making you more aware of even slight pain! On the other hand, when you are tense, your muscles, skin, blood vessels, etc., are all in a tight state, which increases the sensation of pain.
Gua Sha for Treating Colds and Related Symptoms
“Gua Sha, on one hand, expels cold and toxins that are harmful to health from the body through the formation of bruises, and on the other hand, it utilizes the body’s immune metabolic system to decompose and eliminate cold and toxins, thus achieving the effects of detoxification, expelling pathogens, relieving wind-cold, unblocking meridians, and enhancing immunity.”
Typically, when symptoms like colds or fevers occur, Gua Sha can be performed on the back, specifically along the Du Mai (Governing Vessel) in the center and the two sides along the Bladder Meridian (足太阳膀胱经). Since all the back shu points of the organs are located on the back, scraping the back can also help adjust various organs and expel “toxic gases” from the body.
Other areas can be targeted specifically for Gua Sha; for example, for a sore throat, Gua Sha can be performed in the middle of the front neck. For nasal congestion and runny nose, combining it with the Yingxiang (迎香) points on both sides of the nose can yield remarkable results.
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