Gua sha is reported to help relieve a variety of health conditions. Gua sha is beneficial for musculoskeletal problems, especially major problems such as tightness in the shoulders, legs and back. It can also help relieve tension headaches, migraines, neck pain or body swelling. In addition to acupuncture , Gua Sha can even help relieve anxiety, fatigue, insomnia and perimenopausal symptoms.
We are simply promoting the flow of Qi through the body. We're helping to ensure better blood supply and proper nerve conduction so that everything moves through your body the way it should. When you do the scraping, hopefully any symptoms you experience will subside. That's the overall goal.
Through Gua Sha, acupuncture and Chinese medicine, we can treat a wide variety of conditions. If the blood and energy flow throughout your body is not smooth, it can manifest as muscle knots, soreness, weakness or pain. Acupuncture and Gua Sha will help promote a healthy conduction of blood supply and all substances in the tissues so we can keep your body as homeostatic as possible.
Gua Sha for the body
Gua Sha for the body is tissue dependent, which means you want to work in a way that supports your healing goals.
If you have a muscle knot, you will want to work through it first with your scraping tool. You'll want to work perpendicular to the muscle fibers so you can break up all the adhesions. Then, you want to go along the muscle fibers and stretch them to get them back in the right direction again. Since there are those painful knots in the upper shoulder, you will want to work the tool back and forth through them to break the knots. Once you begin to relax, you will begin to move the scraping tool in the direction of the muscle fibers, usually from the inside out. However, you don't want to start scraping in this direction because it will only make the tissue tighter.
Gua Sha for the face
You may have seen people on social media rubbing their faces with a gua sha pad and wondered what was going on. Gua sha has been shown to help relieve facial tension, reduce puffiness and inflammation, and may even help reduce sinus pressure. However, because the musculature of the face is much thinner, it's important to avoid applying too much pressure when working on this area.
In general, facial muscle tissue is very thin and does not bulge as much as other muscles. When scraping on your face, you don't want to drag the tool from the outer edges of your face. Instead, divide your face in half and use your nose as the midpoint. If you are working under your eyes, you will start at your nose and work your scraping tool outward. Allow your tool to move along a smooth, straight line. Don't rub the scraping tool back and forth, up and down, and at various angles with force, as this will only stretch and aggravate the skin. Keep things moving in a smooth direction and do just enough to create a little redness, but not so much that it hurts.
To help things go smoothly, you can even apply a lotion or serum before you perform the scraping. This way, your tool will glide over the skin more easily. It is advisable to avoid areas that are excessively swollen. You don't want to press hard on those because you can burst the capillary beds and end up with bruises on your face.
What kind of shaving tools do you need?
You can use a small wooden spoon for simple manipulation, or you can use a gemstone scraping tool. Whatever you choose, it's important to keep it clean and in good condition.
There are no clinical differences between the two. You just want a tool that you can clean and maintain easily. If it chips or breaks (which it shouldn't but can happen), you will want to stop using it. If you get a small cut on a jade shaving tool, you don't want to rub it all over your face.
You always want to use a clean tool. Some tools can be cleaned with boiling water or a diluted bleach solution.
Who should avoid shaving?
Most people should tolerate scraping well, but if you have circulation problems or are diabetic, let your doctor know before you start. That way, they will know to adjust the pressure to prevent any potential problems.
While you may think that gua sha is too much for someone with peripheral neuropathy, that's not the case. When used in combination with acupuncture, gua sha can help improve blood flow in people with peripheral neuropathy. However, if you are taking blood thinners, your doctor should avoid scraping or scraping gently to avoid damaging too many blood vessels.
