GUA SHA
A natural therapy of which practitioners of Chinese Medicine apply a tool to scrape a patient’s skin along selected meridians or muscles. Practitioners will use a tool to apply pressure and scrape over lubricated skin to alleviate pain or relieve tension. The unidirectional scraping and scratching of the skin cause light bruising which often appears as purple or red spots known as petechiae or Sha. The “Sha-blemishes” can look frightful but they are mostly painless.
The tool used can be a smooth-edged plague made of Bian stone, jade, rose quartz, bull-horn, amber, or medical grade stainless steel. Dr. Ruth Lee often combines cupping with Gua sha using her patented AcuTouch Easy Cupping set, which can help resolve back pain, neck and shoulder pain, tendon strain, carpal tunnel syndrome, common cold and flu, asthma, migraine, perimenopause syndrome, anxiety, and any chronic disorder involving congestion of Qi and Blood
WHAT TO EXPECT?
Besides improving overall health and radiance of the skin, Gua sha has a multitude of benefits which includes:
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Promotes lymphatic drainage
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Reduces puffiness and fluid buildup
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Relieves facial and jaw tension
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Aids in circulation to give skin a glow
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Firms and lifts the face over time
Gua sha is intended to address stagnant energy, called chi, in the body that practitioners believe may be responsible for inflammation. Inflammation is the underlying cause of several conditions associated with chronic pain. Rubbing the skin’s surface is thought to help break up this energy, reduce inflammation, and promote healing.