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Gua Sha

Posted on by Linna

“Gua” means scraping or rubbing, which is the technique of this treatment. In a broad sense, this type of therapy includes “Gua Sha,” “Che Sha,” “Fang Sha,” “Cui Sha,” and “Pai Sha.” “Sha,” also called “Sha Xiang,” refers to the physiological and pathological reactions of the skin of these parts after the aforementioned methods are used on the skin of the human body, mostly in the forms of skin texture and color changes. Common Sha Xiang includes the flushes, purplish red or black bruises, or dotted purplish red rashes that appear on the scraped part of the skin, often accompanied by varying degrees of heat. These skin changes will last for a day or longer.

Mechanism of Gua Sha

The zang-fu organs, nutrient-defense, meridians, and acupoints of the human body are integrated into one, forming the reaction pathways from the inside of the body to the outside and the outside, inside. The zang-fu organs are principal parts of the body (the foundation of life activities), and the nutrient-defense, qi and blood generated by these organs are the basic substances that maintain and nourish human life. Nutrient-defense, qi, and blood act on the acupoints with the meridians serving as their channels. Acupoints are areas where the qi of the zang-fu organs and meridians is infused on the surface of the body.

The mechanism of Gua Sha is based on this very relationship among the zang-fu organs, nutrient-defense, meridians, and acupoints of the human body, and the reaction pathways they form for the inside-outside exchanges. Gua sha utilizes certain tools to scrape the skin to act on certain acupoints, which will create certain stimulations that help clear the meridians, regulate the nutrient defense, and harmonize the zang-fu organs. When these tasks are completed, human life activities will function properly, making the body healthy. Nutrient defense is the qi and blood of the meridians and collaterals. Food and liquids enter the stomach and enable the generation of qi and blood, with the nutrient being in the vessels and defense outside the vessels. The mild and pure essence of the nutrient stays in the vessels and flows with blood, and it is an important component for blood generation, having the function of nourishing the whole body, therefore named nutrient qi.

Functions of Gua Sha

1) Activating Blood and Resolving Stasis

Human muscles, ligaments, and bones, once injured, will have static blood in the injured area. Such congestion will obstruct the flow of qi and blood through the meridians and cause pain, which never goes away until the static blood is resolved. Most of the common scraping sites in clinical practice are mostly where qi and blood converge. The reflex action of benign stimulations on the scraped areas could boost the blood circulation, increase the blood flow, resolve the static blood, generate new blood, and clear the meridians to help qi and blood run smoothly, which in turn relieves the pain. Meanwhile, it could also promote the activation of organ and tissue functions, so that the body’s own disease resistance can be restored and pathogens eliminated.

2) Dredging Channels and Activating Collaterals

Chinese medicine believes that the zang-fu organs, nutrient-defense, meridians (and collaterals), and acupoints are organically combined. Gua sha utilizes certain tools to scrape the skin to act on certain acupoints, which will create certain stimulations that help clear the meridians. Once the zang-fu organs are in harmony and the nutrient-defense runs properly, human life activities will function properly and be free from diseases.

3) Inducing Sweating to Release Exterior

Scraping makes the skin congested and expands the capillaries, which will dispel the pathogens or pathogenic qi in the body surface, meridians, acupoints, deep tissues, and even organs that cause rheumatism, phlegm-dampness, static blood, fire-heat, sepsis, etc. in the form of sweat so that one can selfheal.

4) Clearing Heat and Removing Toxin

Gua sha not only accelerates the evacuation of wastes and toxins from the body but also enables the alternation between new and old blood in congested areas. The local blood running smoothly could relieve its local pressure, therefore eliminating local redness, swelling, heat, and pain, and further achieving the goal of clearing heat and detoxifying.

5) Warming Meridians and Dissipating Cold

The stimulation of Gua Sha produces a local thermal effect, and the blood circulates when warmed. That the blood runs faster could help improve local metabolism. The stimulations of gua sha will be conducted to corresponding organs through skin receptors and meridians. The excitation process of the conduction will eventually discharge cold pathogens from the body.

Massage

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1. The Origin, Formation, and Development of Massage

In Xia and Shang Dynasties, medical practices developed, and traditional Chinese medicine appeared. During the Warring States Period in ancient China, there were records of massage techniques in the earliest medical book, Huangdi’s Internal Classic. Massage and traditional Chinese medicine became the main medical methods at that time. In Qin and Han Dynasties, massage formed an independent system, and there came the first monograph of massage, Huangdi Qibo Massage Classic. During Sui and Tang Dynasties, massage reached its prime; techniques greatly developed, and new methods of child massage came out. There is/are specific chapter(s) dedicated to recording massage in a medical book titled Shengji Zonglu during Song Dynasty. In modern times, many provincial and municipal hospitals have set up massage departments and sorted out hundreds of massage techniques. The scale of massage touches on intractable diseases concerning the heart, brain, blood vessels, nerves, and endocrine, and has developed chiropractic therapy and massage anesthesia.

2. Meridians and acupoints

– Meridians: channels through which qi and blood circulate throughout the body, and each meridian is related to the zang-fu organs. The human body connects the internal and external tissues and organs through these meridians to form a whole.

– Acupoints: the specific parts of the body surface where qi and blood of the zang-fu organs infuse. Acupoints serve as the base points for meridians, and meridians connect acupoints like channels. There are about 52 single acupoints, 309 double acupoints, 50 extra points, and there are about 720 acupoints in total. Every acupoint on the human body is equivalent to a type of traditional Chinese medicine, and all their magical effects are concluded by the ancestors of the Chinese nation through physical experiments. Acupoints are the stimulation and reflection points for the treatment of diseases. Stimulating acupoints can clear meridians and vessels, regulate qi and blood, balance yin and yang, and harmonize the zang-fu organs, which then achieve the purpose of eliminating pathogens.

3. Tonifying deficiency and purging excess through acupoints

– Tonification: to replenish the deficiency of healthy qi in the body.

– Purgation: to purge the excess. It means using certain techniques to promote or inhibit the function of a certain zang-fu organ according to theories of traditional Chinese medicine.

– Deficiency and Excess: a traditional Chinese medicine term that refers to the strength of the human body’s resistance and the amount of pathogen, or the struggle between the healthy qi and pathogenic qi inside the body. Deficiency refers to a lack of healthy qi and weakened immunity, while excess means the pathogenic qi of the disease is strong and there’s a fierce struggle between pathogenic and healthy qi.

Acupuncture and Moxibustion

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Acupuncture and moxibustion help invigorate the spleen and stomach, strengthen yang, and ward off the cold through puncturing or burning specific herbs over acupoints. These techniques make a critical part of traditional Chinese medicine therapy, potent for treating many diseases such as waist pain, gout, stroke, and rhinitis with almost no side effects, which are relatively safer.

Mechanisms of Acupuncture and Moxibustion

Acupuncture requires the therapist to insert filigrees (needles) into the patient’s skin at a specific angle guided by Chinese medicine theory, and apply manipulations such as lifting, thrusting, and twirling to stimulate a particular part of the body and dredge meridians.

The point where the needle is inserted is an acupoint. There are over three hundred acupoints in the human body, and the selection of acupoints depends on the type of disease.

Moxibustion means to burn and fume certain herbs or herb sticks above acupoints to exert warm stimulations. Due to the primary use of moxa, it is also named Ai Jiu. Apart from Ai Jiu, there are other options such as moxibustions using a mulberry branch, rush, or wicker, indirect moxibustion, etc.

Functions of Acupuncture and Moxibustion

To dredge the meridians

Many diseases of the human body are often caused by the obstructions of the meridians.

When the meridians are blocked, the body may experience symptoms such as swelling, numbness, pain, or ecchymosis. Acupuncture and moxibustion can help clear the meridians so that qi and blood could run properly.

To tonify the spleen and stomach

The spleen and stomach are acquired foundations of the human body. If there’s any problem with one’s digestive function, it’s going to affect the overall health conditions.

The human spleen is fond of dryness and reverses to dampness. Once invaded by dampness and pathogen, the digestive system will be easily affected.

Acupuncture and moxibustion, if applied in summer to strengthen the spleen and stomach, can invigorate the spleen and resolve dampness, which can help keep away symptoms like diarrhea, abdominal pain, and distension.

To strengthen yang and dispel cold

In dry seasons, in addition to the high incidence of respiratory diseases, yang deficiency and neck, shoulder, waist, and leg pain are also very common.

Yin qi is rather strong in winter, and diseases due to the cold and pathogen in winter could not be eliminated in the very season until next summer when the yang qi in the body is full again.

When carried out on the summer solstice, acupuncture and moxibustion can stimulate or activate the meridian qi in the body, which could help cure or prevent diseases.

Moxibustion therapy has a history of over 2000 years in China and was the often-preferred treatment for serious diseases in ancient times. Nowadays, moxibustion is not only used to treat serious diseases but common diseases, and it’s very helpful in preventing diseases and maintaining health. Moxibustion is very common and there are records of it being widely applied in History of the Southern Dynasties. There are about fifty to sixty kinds of moxibustion methods.

Benefits and Efficacy of Moxibustion

Moxibustion provides warm stimulations that go through the meridians and acupoints to prevent or cure diseases through the heat it creates when burned. It is easy to perform and convenient. The primary function of moxibustion are as follows:

1) Warming the meridians and dispelling cold – it involves heat, with which those with cold are treated.

2) Supporting yang and stopping collapses – it could heal diseases such as enuresis, metrorrhagia, chronic diarrhea, and chronic dysentery that are associated with the severe situation of yang qi subsidence.

3) Reducing swelling, dissipating and resolving stasis, and activating blood – qi commands blood. Qi will flow when the meridians and vessels are warmed and cleared, and qi flow promotes blood transportation.

4) Preventing diseases and maintaining health – popular folkways of doing moxibustion to maintain health, such as performing over acupoints like Qihai, Guanyuan, Mingmen, Zhongwan, Zusanli, can activate healthy qi in the body, increase the capacity to resist diseases, and energize the body.

Can you use moxibustion every day?

1) If moxibustion is used daily for a long period, it may cause symptoms like dry mouth, dry throat, and dry eyes, which indicate fire or yin deficiency. Therefore, it is not necessary to do it every day.

2) Use moxibustion 2-3 times per week (once every other day), or every two days within a time range of 20 – 30 minutes. Moxa sticks should be kept away from the skin for 3-5 cm. During the process, it is sufficient to feel a slight heat or pain in the designated area, but not to feel very hot. If you feel burned or tingled, it may lead to burns.

3) For some elderly patients with severe qi and blood deficiency, they can choose to do moxibustion every day with a general duration of 7 – 10 days, after which the frequency should be changed to every other day or every two days.

Precautions for moxibustion

  • The time for moxibustion varies depending on individual situations.
  • Moxibustion over each acupoint is usually about 15 minutes (or a bit longer).
  • Avoid applying moxibustion over special or sensitive parts of the body or to people with special cases, and attention should be paid to the dosage, frequency, and keeping warm.
  • Drink a glass of warm water before and after moxibustion to stay hydrated and alleviate dryness in the mouth.
  • Moxibustion can dispel colds and treat certain chronic diseases such as uterine cold, arthritis, and rheumatism.
  • During moxibustion, it is not recommended to ingest cold water or food; areas where moxibustion is performed should be covered afterward.
  • After moxibustion, try to avoid immediate baths or showers, cold water, wind, or cold air from air-conditioning.

Discharge Reaction to Moxibustion

The discharge reaction to moxibustion may occur during or after treatment, and the symptoms vary from person to person. Generally, there will be soreness, numbness, swelling, and pain in the corresponding meridians, and there could also be blisters, macula, and itchiness in corresponding areas. Common discharge reactions to moxibustion could manifest locally or all over the body.

Local reactions
  • Blistering: as the body might dispel cold from within after moxibustion, there may be blisters or pustules forming but usually without obvious symptoms. After the blisters burst, be careful not to have water over the ruptured areas. Taking measures of disinfection could facilitate wound healing.
  • Itching: the skin could be itchy after moxibustion, which could be caused by cold reaching the body surface. Avoid scratching to prevent skin damage. The itchiness will lessen after repeated moxibustion.
  • Macula: some patients may have red macula over their bodies, an indication of having excessive cold and dampness in the body or blockage of the meridians. Generally, no measures need to be taken, for the macula will gradually disappear after repeated moxibustion.
Reactions over the body
  • Fire: the heat generated by the burning moxa stimulates the meridians to promote the circulation of qi and blood in the body, which will help discharge bad qi that brings one discomfort. When the circulation of qi and blood accelerates, the patient may experience “fire,” having symptoms like red and swollen gums and dry mouth. Some will become irascible after moxibustion, which usually resolves itself after a while.
  • Others: a patient could also experience fatigue, dizziness, doziness, increased gas, foul defecation, diarrhea, and sweating, which are all normal reactions. Normally, the physical conditions will improve when the discharge reactions lessen.

Welcome to the TCM Massage Therapy Clinic Blog

Posted on by Linna

Welcome to the blog section of TCM Massage Therapy Clinic. Our philosophy is “Healthy Body, Happy Life”. Here we will share with you some relevant knowledge and modern-day interpretation of traditional Chinese medicine (traditional culture) on rehabilitation and health-keeping. Traditional Chinese medicine embodies the wisdom gained through generations of clinical practices. It is a fortune to have come into contact with and learn from such precious wisdom that has been passed along for thousands of years. Meanwhile, it is also our honor to share this knowledge with you. With a humble and grateful mind, we hope that together we will learn and grow on the path to lifelong health. The topics of our upcoming posts will be structured as follows:

  • Acupuncture and moxibustion,
  • Massage
  • Guasha
  • Cupping
  • Chinese medicine
  • Diet
  • Medicated bath
  • Traditional exercise (Qi Gong, Tai Chi, Wu Qin Xi, Ba Duan Jin, Tai Chi Sword, etc.)

We will post these contents on a regular basis and we hope such knowledge can help you realize the importance of self-care in daily life and practice self-care mindfully and effectively.  We greatly appreciate you following and supporting us. Many thanks!