My Science School

Gua sha or “coining” involves the use of a blunt tool to scrape the skin to relieve different ailments, ranging from headache to fever, by releasing all the negative energies. The tool could be a coin, jade crystal (blunt) or buffalo horn. As you’ll expect, this not only caused extensive skin scraping but also an immense amount of pain. Suddenly, the headache doesn’t seem so bad – a pain balm and a pillow sounds so much better!

In gua sha, a technician scrapes your skin with short or long strokes to stimulate microcirculation of the soft tissue, which increases blood flow. They make these strokes with a smooth-edged instrument known as a gua massage tool. The technician applies massage oil to your skin, and then uses the tool to repeatedly scrape your skin in a downward motion.

Gua sha is intended to address stagnant energy, called chi, in the body that practitioners believe may be responsible for inflammation. Inflammation is the underlying cause of several conditions associated with chronic pain. Rubbing the skin’s surface is thought to help break up this energy, reduce inflammation, and promote healing.

Picture Credit : Google