Gua sha

What is it?

Gua sha is a traditional Chinese medical treatment in which the skin is scraped to produce light to dark discoloration. This discoloration, known as “sha,” is metabolic waste that is being released from stagnant areas, promoting blood flow and healing.

What can I expect in my treatment?

Your acupuncturist will first apply organic oil to the treatment area and will then begin scraping the skin using long strokes with a gua sha massage tool. This stimulates blood flow in the soft tissue, reducing inflammation and promoting healing. Gua sha can be used on the back, buttocks, neck, arms, legs and even the face, for anti-aging benefits. 

Similar to cupping in concept, many clients go between gua sha and cupping in their healing regimen. However, gua sha is especially beneficial at treating tinier areas of tension, since the tools used vary in size. It’s also more successful at pulling out inflammation and heat.

What does it treat?

Because gua sha helps reduce inflammation, it is often used to treat chronic pain and studies have proven it effective in the treatment of hepatitis B, migraine headaches, Tourette syndrome and perimenopausal syndrome.

However, gua sha can be used to treat many pattern imbalances, especially those relating to qi and blood where stagnation and heat exist.