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We all know that choosing a good and suitable Gua Sha board is important, so how should we choose one?
How to Choose the Right Gua Sha Board?
[Niu Jiao (Ox Horn)]
The ox horn Gua Sha board is considered the best traditional Gua Sha tool, made from materials such as water buffalo horn, yellow cattle horn, and yak horn, each with its own functions. Among them, the water buffalo horn Gua Sha board is the most widely used. Water buffalo horn is pungent, salty, and cold. The pungent nature can disperse and move Qi, invigorate blood, and nourish; the salty nature can soften hardness and moisten; the cold nature can clear heat and detoxify; it has functions of dispersing, moving Qi, clearing heat, cooling blood, detoxifying, as well as invigorating blood and resolving stasis.
[Yu Shi (Jade)]
Jade is sweet and neutral, entering the lung meridian, moistening the heart and lungs, and clearing lung heat. According to the “Compendium of Materia Medica”, jade has the effects of clearing voice and hoarseness, stopping thirst, calming wheezing, soothing the mind, and nourishing the five organs and six bowels. It is a good medicine with pure energy that can avoid the disease of turbid qi. Jade contains various trace elements needed by the human body, which can nourish Yin, clear heat, calm the spirit, and promote health and disease prevention. Jade Gua Sha boards help to move Qi and invigorate blood, and open meridians without side effects.
[Bian Shi (Bian Stone)]
The Bian stone Gua Sha board, also known as Bian board, is made from Sìbīn Bian stone (Sìbīn floating stone) and can be used as a health care tool for Gua Sha. It is applicable to almost all sixteen methods of Bian therapy and is the most versatile among all styles of Bian tools. It comes in three sizes: large, medium, and small, with the large Bian board being particularly effective for Gua Sha.
[Magnetic Therapy Gua Sha Board]
The magnetic therapy Gua Sha board combines traditional craftsmanship with modern magnetic therapy technology. The water buffalo horn magnetic therapy Gua Sha board is the most widely used. Water buffalo horn is pungent, salty, and cold. The pungent nature can disperse and move Qi, invigorate blood, and nourish; the salty nature can soften hardness and moisten; the cold nature can clear heat and detoxify; it has functions of dispersing, moving Qi, clearing heat, cooling blood, detoxifying, as well as invigorating blood and resolving stasis.
Correct Methods for Using Gua Sha Boards
Method One: When performing Gua Sha, the Gua Sha board should be at a 60° or 90° angle to the skin. Apply a medium before scraping, starting from the center of the treatment area and gradually expanding outward.
Method Two: The key to using the Gua Sha board lies in controlling the force and speed. Too much pressure may cause skin damage; too little will not achieve the desired effect.
“Heavy but not stiff, light but not floating” is the requirement for force. During Gua Sha, continuously ask the patient about their subjective feelings and observe the condition of the skin.
“Fast but not slippery, slow but not stagnant” is the requirement for speed. If the speed is too fast, it cannot penetrate; if too slow, it will not achieve the effect.
Method Three: This refers to some precautions to take during Gua Sha. For example, always apply a sufficient amount of medium to the treatment area first. This not only reduces friction between the board and the skin, minimizing skin damage, but also enhances penetration and increases therapeutic efficacy.
What Are the Wonderful Uses of Gua Sha?
From a TCM perspective, Gua Sha involves using a Gua Sha board or blunt objects like coins, spoons, or buttons dipped in oil, alcohol, or certain topical medications to repeatedly scrape and rub specific areas of the body or affected areas, causing local skin redness and congestion to promote meridian flow, accelerate local blood circulation, and eliminate tissue inflammatory responses, making it a simple, effective, and economical method for treating diseases.
▶ Gentle Reminder:
For patients with certain blood diseases, infectious diseases, or severe organ damage, Gua Sha therapy should not be used or should only be performed under strict medical guidance; avoid taking a cold shower within 30 minutes after Gua Sha, and it is best to drink a cup of warm water (preferably slightly sweetened salt water) and rest for 15-20 minutes after Gua Sha.
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