Gua Sha
Gua sha is an ancient Chinese healing technique that is a natural, alternative therapy that involves scraping your skin with a massage tool to improve your circulation. Gua Sha may offer a unique approach to better health, addressing issues like chronic pain. In gua sha, a practitioner will scrape your skin with short or long strokes to stimulate microcirculation of the soft tissue, which increases blood flow. This technique may appear straightforward and simple, but it should only be performed by a licensed acupuncturist or practitioner of Chinese medicine. Gua sha is intended to address stagnant energy, known as Qi, in the body that can and usually is responsible for inflammation. Inflammation is the underlying cause of several conditions associated with chronic pain. Scrapping the skin’s surface is thought to help break up this energy, reduce inflammation, and promote healing.
Issues treated with Gua Sha include but are not limited to:
- Arthritis
- Fibromyalgia
- Migraine Headaches
- Breast Engorgement
- Tourette Syndrome
- Perimenopause Syndrome