Learn Everything You Need To Know About Gua Sha Therapy

Wonderful Massage Therapy You Didn’t Know Existed

Massage therapy has been around for thousands of years. In its evolution, it has grown and expanded and now there are thousands of techniques used all over the world all meant to heal and ease countless ailments that people of all ages and sizes suffer.

Through it all, the Gua Sha massage is one of the newer massage techniques in the Western world. So new in fact that even if you seek it out and research on the subject matter, you may find that there is actually very little to read up on. But the Gua Sha massage is a brilliant massage and has so many benefits that it would be a pity to leave it unrecognized and underappreciated.

It is for this reason that this guide has been put together. With any luck, this wonderful style of massage therapy will catch on and spread in order to have more people benefit from it.

Understanding Gua Sha Massage Therapy

Gua Sha is a massage that is meant to heal. It is from the East and uses a technique called “coining” or “scraping” wherein a tool is used on lubricated skin in order to bring the excess heat away from the body. The tool is sometimes a stone or can be a specially designed instrument that can be used to rub a patient’s skin. The typical areas that a Gua Sha massage therapy practitioner would target would be the neck, the shoulders, and the back. A client’s skin is expected to turn red from the tool and this discoloration will likely last anywhere from a few hours to a couple of days.

For those who are unfamiliar with the practices of the Gua Sha massage, you may be surprised to learn that this red discoloration are not bruises, although they are often mistaken for being just that. In fact, the skin is not even torn as the instrument used is dull and not sharpened at all. Most clients have gone on to reporting that their experiences with Gua Sha massage therapy have not even been painful.

Gua Sha will help the body release toxins from your blood while increasing the circulation in that area of your body. The massage in itself also has anti inflammatory protection that stays with the body for a few days after the Gua Sha massage. The Gua Sha massage is also one of the types of massages that offer clients immediate pleasure and release from pain and congestion. You will also find that you are more flexible after a Gua Sha massage as your joints and ligaments will be more relaxed.

Alternative Medicine Gets The Attention It Deserves and Needs

Traditional Western medicine has grown to becoming the normal practice that we lean towards when we get sick. It has been that way for decades and for good reason too, pills work to remove our illnesses and surgery has certainly helped us fix internal problems that we have had. But Western medicine is not the only medicine out there and alternative medicine has been making a name for itself in relatively recent times.

It is still normal to be skeptical about the practices of traditional Chinese medicine but one would be naive to not give it a chance or to hear what sorts of options they may have when discussing an illness or injury that they may have. As it is, Westerners may laugh at the idea that these alternatives in medicine even exist but the good side is that some of these same people will not say no to applying an eggplant compress to help treat their skin cancer. So though it is still in question, at least there is a gray area that has been opened for discussion and exploration.

People have recently started a new way of looking at healthcare. They now know that it would be wise to keep what is useful, albeit old fashioned, and bring that to today’s current knowledge about technology that is free for us to use and gain. As a matter of fact, there is currently a movement in place that is meant to merge traditional medicine with alternative medicine being that it would be more helpful for the two to cooperate as opposed to having a battle between them. Even the World Health Organization has agreed that there is a need to create an integrated way at looking at all the options of basic health care.

The Techniques Used in Gua Sha Massage Therapy

Being that Gua Sha massage therapy has existed for centuries, experts have been able to develop new techniques using Gua Sha as its treatment for numerous types of illnesses. A Gua Sha practitioner studies the different areas of your skin looking for sha, once found, he or she will then study its location and how severe the injury is before beginning treatment.

Depending on the sha and the amount of it, your therapist will then understand where the blockages may be and then will use the five elements theory to decipher which internal organs need to be balanced. In general, if the sha is greenish black or dark purple, they would then know that there may be stagnant toxins there that need to be released. If the sha is brown, then that would tell them that there is an issue with the fluid in your body. Red Sha tells them that the excess heat in your body is being released.

Gua Sha is also often used in patients who suffer from muscle pain and congestion and is also a great tool for preventive common health problems. Though more typically practiced in Asia, China, Taiwan, Indonesia, and Cambodia to be more precise, many Westerners have taken this practice home to their countries where they have started incorporating it into their treatment in their native homes.

Conclusion: Gua Sha Is Safe and Needs To Be Recognized

Prescription drugs are still ever so present in today’s field of medicine but alternative medicine, including Gua Sha have certainly made a name for themselves and for good reason. It is inexpensive, safe, and natural and since it has helped cure back pain, shoulder pain, neck pain, the common cold, fever, muscle pain, and the cough, there is no reason why it should not be acknowledged and recognized as a means for helping people who need a remedy.

Gua Sha offers balance and stimulates the circulation of the blood in the body and this in turn removes a person’s toxins. Modern medicine may offer the same results but alternative medicine is natural and offers a therapeutic effect due to its technique.

It certainly is a good time to realize that the human body is amazing and that it is a work of art. We must enjoy that we can heal and enjoy what life has to offer while using the available tools to us in order to best care for ourselves. Gua Sha can certainly offer us pain relief and better overall health while we relax and rejuvenate.