Gua Sha therapy is a traditional healthcare technique in China, with a history of over 2000 years. When people fall ill, they instinctively rub or strike certain areas of the body with their hands or stones, sometimes alleviating their ailments. Through long-term practice and accumulation, the method of using Bian stone for healing gradually formed, which is the prototype of Gua Sha therapy.
Gua Sha involves repeatedly scraping the skin of the patient with a Gua Sha board dipped in Gua Sha oil to treat diseases. The principle of Gua Sha is based on the twelve meridians (jing mai) and eight extraordinary vessels (qi jing), following the principle of “treating the symptoms when urgent”. It uses strong stimulation of the meridians to cause local skin redness and congestion, thereby achieving effects such as reviving consciousness, dispelling toxins, clearing heat and relieving exterior conditions, promoting Qi flow and alleviating pain, and strengthening the spleen and stomach.
What is “Sha”?
“Sha” actually refers to blood that has exuded outside the blood vessels and contains metabolic byproducts. The presence of wind, dampness, and fire in the body, along with some metabolic byproducts in the blood, can lead to blood circulation disorders, resulting in the appearance of Sha. According to TCM theory, when the body is infected with evil Qi such as wind, dampness, or fire, Yang Qi cannot be properly discharged, and Gua Sha can help to expel this evil Qi.
The Sha produced by Gua Sha is not the same as bruising. Bruising is often caused by external injuries, resulting in significant bleeding and pain in the affected area, which restricts movement. The red or purplish spots that appear after Gua Sha involve minimal bleeding, seeping from capillaries, and do not cause pain after scraping. Moreover, the expulsion of Sha promotes blood circulation and increases metabolic rate, thus having therapeutic effects.
The main applications of Gua Sha include colds, fevers, heatstroke, acute gastroenteritis, and the initial stages of other infectious diseases, as well as pain in the shoulders, back, elbows, and knees. As a simple and effective external treatment method, Gua Sha has been widely practiced in folk medicine and is also highly regarded by medical professionals.
How to Properly Perform Gua Sha
When performing Gua Sha, apply force in a single direction without scraping back. The pressure should be even and moderate, gradually increasing from light to heavy, without alternating between light and heavy pressure. The scraping area should be maximized as much as possible.
The angle between the Gua Sha tool and the skin should be about 45 degrees, avoiding a pushing or scraping motion. The scraping direction should be from top to bottom and from inside to outside, maintaining the same angle.
The frequency and duration of Gua Sha depend on the nature of the disease and the patient’s constitution. Each scraping session should last about 10 to 20 minutes. The initial Gua Sha session should not be too long or too forceful, and subsequent sessions should be spaced 1 to 2 weeks apart.
After Gua Sha, avoid wind exposure and bathing for at least 2 hours.
The duration for Sha to dissipate varies based on individual constitution. Generally, those with good constitution may see it dissipate in 2 to 3 days, while those with weaker constitution may take 4 to 5 days. Applying a warm towel after Gua Sha can improve local blood circulation and shorten the duration of Sha, accelerating its dissipation. Drinking plenty of water after Gua Sha can help promote the elimination of toxins from the body. Since Gua Sha can cause capillary rupture and blood leakage, adequate hydration is beneficial for enhancing blood circulation and the expulsion of metabolic byproducts.
Conditions Not Suitable for Gua Sha
1. Individuals with severe cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, liver and kidney dysfunction, or generalized edema.
2. Pregnant women should not have Gua Sha performed on the abdomen or lower back.
3. Gua Sha is contraindicated on areas with boils, ulcers, sores, rashes, or unexplained lumps.
4. Acute pain from sprains, injuries, or fractures.
5. Individuals with contagious skin diseases.
6. Individuals with bleeding tendencies, such as those with late-stage diabetes, severe anemia, leukemia, aplastic anemia, or thrombocytopenia.
7. Individuals who are excessively hungry, fatigued, or intoxicated should not undergo heavy or extensive Gua Sha.
8. Areas such as the eyes, lips, tongue, ear canals, nostrils, nipples, and navel.
9. Individuals with mental illnesses.
Chen Gongda
Associate Chief TCM Physician
From a family of traditional Chinese medicine practitioners, with over 50 years of clinical experience. Specializes in TCM herbal medicine, acupuncture, and massage therapy for lumbar hyperplasia, lumbar disc herniation (sciatica), cervical hyperplasia, facial nerve paralysis, post-stroke sequelae (hemiplegia, cerebral infarction), arthralgia, pediatric massage, acute mastitis, soft tissue contusions (muscle injuries), herpes zoster, and skin diseases (acne).
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Editor: Shaoyao Xiaobian
Graphic Design: Danggui Xiaobian
Source: Chen Gongda Doctor
Final Review: Yang Zhongying, Sun Tie
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