What is Gua Sha?

Gua Sha is an ancient healing art from China.  It is over 3000 years old, painless, effective and reportedly can stop a cold in it's tracks (I can personally say that I have found a much faster recovery from colds by utilizing this technique).

Traditionally, the technique is utilized to release stuck energy from beneath the skin to promote Qi (life energy) and blood flow (blood is associated with life energy or Qi).

I have found that Gua Sha has many benefits including: relieving pain especially from overuse, inexplicable muscle pain and pain due to past injuries.

So exactly what is the technique?  Tools ranging from simple ceramic spoons to tools made out of animal horns or stone materials or even surgical metals.  There are a variety of shapes and sizes to the tools designed for different sized and shaped areas of the body.  The tools are used to lightly (emphasis on lightly) scrape the surface of the skin with the stroke ending in a slight scooping motion for 30 seconds or more.

The visual result can include splotchy red marks to appear in the area as blood rises to the surface of the skin.  These marks are known as Sha.  This Sha appears only in areas that actually need to release.  The arks are painless (unless the work was done too hard and resulted in bruising...important to communicate with your practitioner if you are feeling pain during the session...and go away after a few days.

After a Gua Sha treatment, it is a good idea to take it easy and rest and cover the area so it isn't exposed to the wind or cold when you are outdoors.  Additionally, Gua Sha opens your pores so wait about 5 hours before taking a shower or going swimming.

You should experience improvement (often significant improvement) in your pain after a Gua Sha treatment.  Treatments can be a stand alone session, typically focused on one specific area as opposed to a full body treatment or they can be used in conjunction with massage and or cupping therapies.