Gua Sha is a traditional Chinese technique used to treat constricted areas on the body. Many physical and manual therapists recently started using this technique with great success on resistant trigger points, on persistent areas of pain and on constricted myofascia.
I frequently use Gua Sha to address elbow, shoulder, upper and lower back dysfunction in complement to Shiatsu therapy.
Gua Sha interrupts vasoconstriction by mechanical stimulation of the mast cells resulting in the activation of the axon reflex flare.
As capillaries in the skin dilate, blood flow increases and oxygen and nutrient flow to tissues improves.
Pain relief after Gua Sha is often immediate.
Within two or three minutes of mild to moderate pressure Gua Sha, capillary dilation is evident as skin turn in bright red. Petechiae will resolve within three to seven days after treatment.
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