Gua Sha
Gua sha is an ancient chinese massage therapy where the therapist uses tools or hand manipulation to relieve tight knots and muscles. It involves scraping a tool back and forth over the muscle, relieving tension and decreasing pain. This technique is helpful in breaking up adhesions that have formed in muscles and fascia leading to improved flexibility.
Sometimes called spooning or coining, gua sha has been practiced for thousands of years to treat ailments by stimulating blood circulation beneath the top layer of the skin. At Northbridge Chiropractic, our doctors have the tools and expertise to relieve stubborn muscle pain and tension using this traditional method along with a variety of other treatment techniques.
Gua Sha
How Does Gua Sha Massage Work?
Gua sha massage starts with a cleanse and gentle massage with a special oil to prepare the skin and ensure your safety and comfort during the treatment. Once your skin is prepared, the practitioner will gently, but firmly, roll the curved edge of the gua sha scraper across your skin with short or long strokes in a downward motion.
This process is usually carried out on the back, neck, arms, buttocks and legs. Gua sha massage begins with mild pressure, activating the capillaries beneath the skin’s surface. Pressure is gradually increased until it gets to the source of the pain.
What Are the Benefits of Gua Sha?
Gua sha massages encourage blood to rise to the surface of the skin, kick starting your body’s natural healing process. It is becoming increasingly popular as a treatment for pain relief and many chronic ailments, diseases and conditions, including:
Gua sha is also used by some practitioners to improve the immune system, reduce inflammation, treat colds and fevers and improve overall health and well-being. Studies show that gua sha massage can trigger the release of the heme-oxygenase-1 hormone, which stimulates the production of anti-inflammatory molecules in our body.
Gua Sha Therapy
Is Bruising After a Gua Sha Massage Normal?
The process of scraping the gua sha tool across your body can cause minor bruising and soreness. Some people can also experience temporary indentation of their skin following treatment. This is all completely normal and usually disappears after a few days. However, if you are currently on blood thinning medication or have had surgery in the past six weeks, gua sha is not an appropriate treatment.
While the bruising may be alarming to some people, it’s a sign that the process has worked and successfully activated the body’s healing processes. Small injuries to the body like bruising from gua sha is sometimes called microtrauma. This is a response in the body that can help break up scar tissue and help with fibrosis which is an excessive build-up of connective tissue when the body is healing from injury.
Make an Appointment at Our Perth Clinic
For more information on our gua sha massages, gua sha benefits, other physiotherapeutic muscle therapy or chiropractic adjustments, read our section on what to expect for your first visit. If you want to make an appointment, contact us online or call 08 9227 9341.