WHAT IS GUA SHA TREATMENT GOOD FOR?

Have you ever unwillingly had your body serve as the host for nasty chest congestion that does not seem to go away no matter how much you cough, how much tea you drink, or how much you seem to follow your doctor’s orders? If you, like most out there, find yourself in this uncomfortable situation once in a while, a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) treatment known as Gua Sha may provide some relief, allow you to catch your breath, and assist your body with the healing process. This treatment has been used throughout South East Asia for thousands of years. In addition to being revered for its ability to ease symptoms of the common cold and other respiratory distress, in some circles, the Gua Sha technique is known to provide an effective option for pain relief and detoxification.

The term Gua Sha is derived from its root meanings of “Gua,” which means to scrape, and “Sha,” which refers to the reddish rash that often appears after the treatment is administered.

The Gua Sha Process

Gua Sha is often employed by acupuncturists and other practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine during patient therapies. However, this beneficial practice can also be performed at home rather simply. If the area to be treated is not directly accessible to you, you will need a friend or loved one to help you out. Be sure to return the favor! To perform Gua Sha, one follows the following steps:

1.  Lubricate the area to be treated with oil – such as coconut, peanut, almond, or grapeseed oil. Specific Gua Sha preparations that include herbal substances are also available for purchase from some Chinese medicine practitioners and online.

2.  Use a smooth-edged instrument (such as a wooden spoon, a Chinese soup spoon, or a coin). Scraping tools designed particularly for Gua Sha treatments are also on the market – they are typically made of jade or buffalo horn and are available in a variety of shapes and sizes. GET HIGH QUALITY ROSE QUARTZ GUASHING TOOLS HERE>>>

3.  Using smooth, firm motions, stroke the area to be treated in a downward fashion. Repeat this step until the skin begins to turn pink. If you were addressing persistent chest congestion, you would stroke the chest and the back- between the shoulder blades parallel to the spine.

How does Gua Sha Work?

This process is said to stimulate the immune system, increase circulation, and help detoxify the body by drawing toxins to the surface where they can then be eliminated through the skin’s natural detox pathways.

Reported Benefits of Gua Sha

There are a lot of success stories associated with Gua Sha out there! Proponents of Gua Sha have reported the following benefits:

•  Increases blood flow and microcirculation in soft tissue, therefore decreasing pain

•  Has an antioxidative effect in cells

•  Reduces neck and lower back pain

•  Decreases inflammatory markers in a patient with Hepatitis B

•  Treats and prevents respiratory issues such as the common cold, asthma, and bronchitis

•  Releases toxins

•  Provides a decrease in muscle pain

•  Helps to increase skin elasticity and firmness

•  Reduces fever by directing the heat to the surface where it will be released

•  Relieves respiratory system inflammation

•  Reduces stress and fatigue

•  Has a relaxing effect on the mind and body

Understanding and Interpreting the “Sha”

The color and intensity of the rash that appears after performing this treatment can provide some insight. A light-colored Sha may indicate a blood deficiency; a purplish Sha can point to blood stagnation while an intense red color can signify an acute condition. The severity of the skin discoloration correlates to the level of toxicity or stagnation inside the body and should diminish slightly with each subsequent treatment.

References:

http://www.pacificcollege.edu/news/press-releases/2015/05/05/science-gua-sha

http://guasha.com/faqs/

http://www.healthtraditions.com.au

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