What Is Gua-Sha Therapy?

Gua-Sha therapy is based on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) meridian theory and helps to move Qi and blood throughout the body. TCM meridian theory states that pain and tension occur within the body when there is a stagnation of Blood and Qi.

Gua-Sha (or skin scraping) is a therapy that utilizes instruments to press-stroke areas of the body surface to treat diseases, alleviate pain, resolve the tension, and improve the overall quality of life.

Guasha helps to re-balance the body by regulating the Zang-Fu organs, promoting QI and Blood circulation in the meridians and resolving Blood stasis.

Traditionally, the instrument used was a water buffalo’s horn but nowadays more modern materials have been utilized (jade, rose quartz, etc.).

The “scraping” or press-stroke is typically done unidirectionally on lubricated skin and typically creates transitory therapeutic petchiae (Sha) or reddening of the skin. The reddening of the area is due to an increase in Blood and Qi to the area activating the body’s innate healing response

Additionally, the action of the pressured strokes helps to alleviate pain by breaking-up stubborn knots, loosening fascial adhesion, and softening tight muscles.

(Please note there are different degrees of petchiae (sha) ranging from reddening of the skin (mild) to more aggressive bruising or breaking of larger blood vessels (ecchymotic patches).

Feel free to email me any questions you may have.