A Gua Sha Board and Half a Traditional Doctor
Gua Sha health care is actually not difficult; items like a comb, a porcelain cup lid, or even a rounded spoon can be used for Gua Sha, making it simple and easy to operate.
1. Common Cold: Da Zhui (Great Vertebra) Point
Da Zhui Point: Located in the depression just below the highest protrusion of the cervical vertebrae, it becomes more prominent when the head is lowered.
Method: Scrape from top to bottom for about 5 to 10 minutes, until the back of the neck feels warm.
2. Lower Back Pain: Hands + Back
Method: Apply Gua Sha oil to the lower back, then slowly scrape down along both sides of the spine.
The reflex area for the lower back is in the center of the back of the hand; apply a little Gua Sha oil and scrape slowly from the wrist to the tip of the middle finger.
Scrape for 15 to 30 minutes, while searching for areas of pain, nodules, or muscle tension.
3. Breast Nodules: Scrape Both Breasts
Method: Apply a little moisturizer, then hold the scraping board at a 45-degree angle to the chest, scraping gently from the base of the breast towards the nipple, using a comfortable pressure for 5 to 10 minutes.
Note: Do not scrape the nipple, areola, or any unexplained lumps in the breast.
4. Poor Digestion: Tian Shu (Heavenly Pivot) Point
Tian Shu Point: Located two inches beside the navel.
For ordinary diarrhea: Gently press and rub the Tian Shu point counterclockwise with the scraping board, or press the Zhong Wan point (4 inches above the navel).
For constipation: Rub the Tian Shu point clockwise until a warm sensation is felt in the abdomen.
5. Dry Eyes: Scrape Around the Eye Socket
Method: When the eyes are fatigued, use the scraping board to gently press around the eyes, focusing on Jing Ming (Bright Eyes) point (inner corner), Can Zhu (Gathering Bamboo) point (eyebrow), Yu Yao (Fish Waist) point (middle of the eyebrow), and Tai Yang (Sun) point (outer corner), spending 1 to 2 minutes on each point.
You can also scrape directly around the eye socket to relieve fatigue and improve vision.
6. Mental Fatigue: Bai Hui (Hundred Meetings) Point + Tai Yang (Sun) Point
Bai Hui Point: Located at the intersection of the midline of the head and the line connecting the tips of both ears.
Tai Yang Point: Located in front of the ear, above the outer corner of the eye.
Method:
First, comb the hair from the front hairline to the back; this will help wake up the mind in the morning.
Second, scrape from the center of the head in all directions, relaxing the entire head around the Bai Hui point.
Third, scrape forward from the center of the head, backward from the center, and outward from the sides towards the Tai Yang point. This promotes blood circulation in the head, clears the mind, and enhances memory.
Note: Scrape or massage lightly whenever possible.
7. Neck and Shoulder Pain: Feng Chi (Wind Pool) Point + Jian Jing (Shoulder Well) Point
Feng Chi Point: Located on both sides of the large tendon at the back of the head, parallel to the earlobes; the two depressions at the back of the head are this point.
Jian Jing Point: Located at the midpoint of the line connecting Da Zhui and the acromion, at the highest point of the shoulder.
Method: Scrape from the Feng Chi point down to the Jian Jing point, then scrape along the shoulder from the inside out, applying thirty strokes where there is muscle and twenty strokes where there is none.
Note: Adjust the angle with your wrist and move your forearm to guide the scraping board.
8. Nourishing Blood and Liver: Xue Hai (Sea of Blood) Point + San Yin Jiao (Three Yin Intersection) Point
Xue Hai Point: Bend the knee and cover the kneecap with the palm, fingers pointing up, with the thumb at the fleshy part below.
San Yin Jiao Point: Located on the inner side of the lower leg, four fingerbreadths above the ankle joint.
Method: Scrape from the Xue Hai point to the San Yin Jiao point in one continuous motion, without stopping in between, until the skin turns red and purple bruises form. Regular scraping of the San Yin Jiao can nourish blood and liver.
Note: For lower limb scraping, start with the outer side, scraping downwards, then the back (the bladder meridian), and finally the inner side.
9. Spring Excess Fire: Tai Chong (Great Surge) Point + Xing Jian (Moving Between) Point
Symptoms: Gum pain, sore throat, mouth ulcers, thirst, irritability, yellow urine, dry stools, red tongue with yellow coating.
Xing Jian Point: Located on the dorsum of the foot, between the first and second toes.
Nei Ting Point: Located on the dorsum of the foot, between the second and third toes.
Method: When scraping, use the blunt edge of the scraping board to press on the Xing Jian and Nei Ting points for 1 to 2 minutes each, then scrape upwards from the bottom (can be combined with Gua Sha oil or massage oil), applying a stronger pressure within a tolerable range until bruising occurs or scrape 50 times.
10. Autumn Deficiency Fire: Back Five Lines
Symptoms: Flushed complexion, thirst without desire to drink, dry cough with little phlegm, low fever, red tongue with little coating, five hearts heat.
Method: Scrape the back five lines, including the central Du Mai (Governing Vessel) and the bladder meridian lines, which are 1.5 inches and 3 inches away from the Du Mai.
When scraping, apply light pressure and scrape slowly, allowing for longer stimulation time on each area to invigorate the body’s vital energy and restore its functions.
Three Colors of Bruises Corresponding to Different Conditions
Bright Red Bruises: If the red is not too deep, it indicates the presence of wind-cold in the body, which is the most normal color.
Purple-Red or Dark Red Bruises: This often indicates damp-heat in the body.
Purple-Black Bruises: This indicates severe stagnation in the body.The severity of the bruises does not completely correlate with the disease and will gradually dissipate, so there is no need to worry excessively.
Areas Not to Scrape
Gua Sha is a relatively safe health practice, but there are still many contraindications.Which groups of people should avoid Gua Sha? Which areas should not be scraped? We need to be aware of these.
1. Do Not Scrape the Sides of the Neck
Clinical observations in TCM have found that scraping the neck carries certain risks, especially on both sides of the neck, which should not be scraped lightly!
This is because the carotid sinus is located in the middle of the sternocleidomastoid muscle, which is a pressure receptor; if stimulated, it can cause a sudden drop in blood pressure, leading to dizziness and fainting.
Continuous stimulation may lead to more serious consequences, especially for those with poor health.It is important to avoid scraping the sides of the neck, as well as during massage.
2. Contraindicated Groups
Patients with cardiovascular diseases, the elderly, those with skin allergies, leukemia, allergic purpura, thrombocytopenia, cancer, skin inflammation, or those with wounds or scars on the skin, as well as pregnant women and women during menstruation, should avoid Gua Sha.
Of course, even healthy individuals should not perform Gua Sha every day.It is essential to allow the body to have a recovery period, waiting until the marks from the last Gua Sha have disappeared before performing it again.
Gua Sha Tips
1. Hold the scraping board at a 45-degree angle or less to the skin; the flatter the angle, the more comfortable it is to scrape, and avoid scraping with a scooping motion.
2. Many people believe that scraping must produce marks, and the more marks, the better. However, this is incorrect.When a person has a cold, fever, or fatigue, it is easier to produce marks; healthy individuals do not easily produce marks, only a reddening of the skin.
3. Scraping should not be done back and forth; instead, scrape from top to bottom and from the inside out, in a single direction, extending the scraping distance as much as possible.This follows the direction of arterial blood circulation, promoting blood flow.
4. It is advisable to scrape 3 to 5 areas each time, spending 3 to 5 minutes on each area, and not exceeding half an hour in total.
5. Different pressures will yield different effects; light pressure is for “tonifying,” while strong pressure is for “draining.” Most people are unaware of whether their constitution is deficient or excess, so it is best to maintain an average pressure, known as “balanced tonification and draining.”Wait 3 to 5 days after the first scraping before performing the second treatment.
6. After Gua Sha, choose warming and sweating foods, and avoid wind; it is not recommended to take a shower within an hour.
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