Gua Sha, a traditional Chinese medical method, has once again set off a craze in the world as people pursue health and beauty. Under the influence of this wave, many people began to use Gua Sha, which resulted in thousands of different views on Gua Sha. Some people think that gua sha is really effective, while some people think that it is just in vain. So does gua sha really work? If so, then why is gua sha good for you? This is the topic we will focus on today.
Does Gua Sha Really Work?
Valid, this is the real answer. Gua Sha has existed in China for thousands of years. If it did not have any substantial effect, it would have disappeared in the long river of history, and would not still exist in modern times and make waves again. Gua sha good for health and beauty.
But being tempered by time does not mean it is necessarily reasonable. Many traditions that are not common sense to people today have still been preserved after the baptism of time. Bullfighting, for example, is considered a cruel tradition today. Therefore, the effect of Gua Sha is more evidence of its clinical effect, not just because it has withstood the test of time.
Many people have reaped many benefits from Gua Sha, and I was one of them.
I suffered from shoulder and neck pain, and in severe cases, it also affected my head. On the advice of others, I found a professional gua sha agency nearby. After explaining the situation to the doctor, he began to conduct a series of examinations on me. For example, I was asked to raise my arms to see if the arm function was affected, and I was asked to raise my chin to see if the neck function was damaged, etc. After the examination, he began formal treatment.
He first applied some ointment or some kind of oil to my shoulders and neck. I don’t know exactly what substance it is. But after applying it, you can obviously feel a slight cooling effect. Then he started gua sha my shoulders and neck using a gua sha board made of buffalo horn (that was 10 years ago, when crystal and metal gua sha tools had not yet taken over the market. The most popular gua sha tools were made of buffalo horn and other materials. become).
He used it with great force, and I could clearly feel the pain, and dark red lines clearly appeared where the gua sha tool passed. These lines are what Chinese medicine calls “Sha”.
After half an hour of gua sha, I can clearly feel that the pain in my shoulders and neck has been significantly reduced, and the range of movement of my arms has also increased a lot. The doctor told me not to take a shower within 24 hours to prevent harmful substances from invading the body.
So for me, gua sha is effective, because this is the conclusion I came to after trying it myself. Now every once in a while, I still go for gua sha.
Currently, in traditional Chinese medicine, the benefits that gua sha can bring include:
- Promote blood circulation: Gua Sha can stimulate blood vessels on the surface of the skin, promote blood circulation, help transport oxygen and nutrients to various parts of the body, and help eliminate waste and toxins.
- Relieve muscle tension: Gua Sha can help relax tense muscles and relieve muscle pain and discomfort.
- Improving the immune system: Some people believe that gua sha can stimulate the immune system and help the body fight infection and disease.
- Promote Lymphatic Drainage: Gua Sha is also believed to promote the detoxification function of the lymphatic system, helping to remove waste and toxins.
- Relieves inflammation: Gua Sha may help reduce inflammation because it promotes local blood circulation and helps the body deal with inflammation.
Why is Gua Sha Good for You?
First of all, in the theory of traditional Chinese medicine, human health is affected by qi, blood, meridians, etc. Therefore, most of the therapies of traditional Chinese medicine are inseparable from these basic theories, and the same is true for gua sha. Gua Sha good for you because it works on the Qi, blood and meridians:
- Qi and blood circulation: Traditional Chinese medicine emphasizes that Qi (breath, energy) and blood circulation in the human body are crucial to health. Gua Sha is believed to improve Qi and blood circulation by stimulating the meridians (channels through which Qi and blood flow) on the surface of the skin, thereby helping to maintain balance and health in the body.
- Unblocking meridians and activating meridians: Traditional Chinese medicine believes that there is a meridian system in the body, through which qi and blood flow, and different meridians are associated with different organs and body parts. Gua Sha is used to unblock the meridians and activate meridians, helping to restore the balance of Qi and blood and relieve symptoms of Qi stagnation and blood stasis.
- Dispersing wind and cold: Gua Sha can also be used to dispel wind and cold evil spirits, which are related to some diseases and discomforts in traditional Chinese medicine theory. Gua Sha can cause local skin redness, which can be interpreted as expelling cold or wind evil.
- Detoxification: Gua Sha is thought to help detoxify. Traditional Chinese Medicine believes that toxins can accumulate in the body and cause various health problems. Gua Sha promotes the elimination of waste products and toxins by stimulating the blood vessels and lymphatic system on the surface of the skin.
- Promote immune function: Traditional Chinese medicine believes that gua sha can stimulate the body’s immune function and help resist diseases and infections.
Is Gua Sha Good for Everyone?
No, Gua Sha is not good for everyone, because Gua Sha will cause a certain degree of trauma, accelerate blood circulation, accelerate heartbeat, etc. Therefore, the following people are not recommended to use Gua Sha:
- Skin Problems: If you have a skin disease, rash, eczema, open wound, wart, sore, or other skin problem, Gua Sha may cause skin trauma or infection. In this case, gua sha may not be appropriate as it may further damage the skin.
- Bleeding tendency: If you bleed easily or are taking anticoagulant medications, gua sha may increase your risk of bleeding because gua sha may cause microscopic damage to the skin. This may not be safe for people with bleeding tendencies.
- Pregnancy: Pregnant women should use Gua Sha with caution, especially in the abdominal and waist areas. During pregnancy, the skin may be more sensitive and gua sha may cause discomfort.
- Serious chronic disease: If you suffer from a serious chronic disease, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, or kidney problems, gua sha may have an adverse effect on your health. In this case, it is best to consider any alternative treatments under the supervision of a professional doctor.
- Drug allergy: If you are allergic to the medicine or ingredients in the lubricant used in the gua sha tool, gua sha may trigger an allergic reaction.
- Young children: For young children, gua sha may cause discomfort because their skin is more delicate.
- Elderly people: The skin of older people may be more fragile and more susceptible to injury, so Gua Sha needs to be used with caution.
Summarize:
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Is Gua Sha Really Effective?
Gua Sha does have certain effects in some aspects, such as relieving shoulder and neck pain. But Gua Sha is not omnipotent, and Gua Sha cannot do things that are beyond its scope of ability.
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Why Gua Sha Good for You.
Gua sha good for you! Because it can open up your meridians and keep your Qi and blood flowing. In the theory of traditional Chinese medicine, qi, blood and meridians are very important.
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Is Gua Sha Suitable for Everyone?
No, for some groups, try to avoid gua sha. Such as infants, pregnant women, the elderly and groups with special symptoms. But generally, gua sha is suitable for most people.
