This ancient technique is gaining traction in the west and is frequently used in acupuncture for children. A mainstay in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Gua Sha (guasha) is often used as a part of a wider acupuncture practice and acupuncture clinics often offer it. So, what is this historic practice and could you adopt it into your professional services?
In this article, we’ll take a quick look at Gua Sha, how it works and the tools you need.
Gua Sha 101
Gua Sha is the practice of rubbing, scraping and rolling the skin with a specific tool. In TCM, this is to relieve qi blocks and allow energy to flow smoothly throughout the body. When qi – our innate life force – is blocked, all manner of symptoms can crop up as the body is deemed to be imbalanced. In many Western practices, it’s used as a form of massage to bring pain relief, boost circulation and offer relaxation.
Gua Sha for children
As needle acupuncture isn’t often suitable for children and sensitive adults, Gua Sha is an excellent choice of therapy, allowing for acupressure points to be stimulated without any skin penetration. The tools come in many shapes and sizes and you can even get child-friendly tools shaped like animals or people.
What tools do you need?
The tools used are very varied but are all blunted and rarely uniform in shape. The irregular shapes allow you to use the same tool for different pressure levels and body parts. The popular jade rollers are a form of Gua Sha tool and roll much like paint rollers. Jade rollers are excellent for use on the face.
Tools are frequently made from stone, which conducts heat well and therefore feels cool to the touch. This keeps the skin cool and comfortable while increasing blood flow to the area. Metal is also a popular material for a similar reason.
Uses for Gua Sha
High-quality studies are thin on the ground but it’s widely used thanks to strong anecdotal evidence and its wonderful, relaxing effect. Gua Sha is commonly used to brighten skin, improve microcirculation and relieve muscle tension.
Muscle and joint pain are particularly common symptoms treated as it’s a form of massage. By using it in tandem with other therapies, such as needle acupuncture and sports massage, you can offer a very effective overall treatment.
Getting started
If you’re already a trained physical therapist, acupuncturist or masseuse, you can easily get started in Gua Sha. Understanding anatomy, pain points and muscular composition are vital for providing high-quality sessions so trained professionals are halfway there already.
Guasha courses are short and can often be done remotely if necessary. Alternative and holistic therapy schools are the best places to turn to for courses, which are often one day long or less and can be counted towards CPD.
To ensure you choose the right course, check for a detailed course breakdown, an experienced teacher, recognition by a reputable professional body and that it offers the type of practice you’re interested in, e.g. that used in TCM.
Getting your tools
We offer a wide range tools so you can build a collection where you’ll always have exactly the right tool on hand. Check out our range of Gua Sha tools here.
