What is gua sha?

You may have seen pictures of people with jade or other types of massage and scraping tools, or jade rollers.  What is gua sha? 

Gua sha is a form of therapy that has been around for centuries.  You may also hear it called scraping or spooning.  Your practitioner will use a tool to scrape the skin.  The tools used are varied, including jade, rose quartz, bone, miso spoons and disposable jar lids.  The goal is to release tissues in areas where you are feeling tight, and/or to stimulate blood flow for overall health and wellness.

What does gua sha treat?

Gua sha has many therapeutic benefits, including:

·      Alleviating stress and anxiety

·      Relieving stiffness and pain (like back, shoulder, neck and hamstring pain)

·      Allowing tense muscles to relax

·      Building immunity

·      Reducing inflammation

·      Helping respiration

·      Helping digestion

What are the marks that gua sha leaves? 

Gua sha can leave marks on the skin called petechiae.  “Sha” refers to the coloration that appears on the skin.  It can range from light pink, to red, to dark purple.  The marks help to confirm what is going on with your tissues, and show where the release is happening. The marks should disappear within a few days. 

After gua sha, it is important to keep the area covered and protected from wind, sunlight, and extreme heat or cold including air conditioning.  This will help to keep the area healthy and allow the healing to continue.

Gua sha is just one of the therapies that I can offer as part of your acupuncture sessions.  Curious?  Schedule an appointment and we’ll talk about whether gua sha is the right approach you!