What Can Gua Sha Do For Me?

How Can Gua Sha Do For Me?

Spring is upon us. It's time to crawl out of our dens of hibernation and Netflix watching and get moving! Spring is the time of year when everything comes alive again. Just as much as we expect to see the tulips, we should expect our schedules to accommodate more time for being outside and getting active!

So, if you're like most of us, you probably took the winter off from being active, didn't you? And now your body is saying, "WHY did you do that?!" Getting off the couch and working on that beach body you want for summer can leave muscles hurting that we forgot we had!

You're probably wondering, "What is Gua Sha? How can it help my body?"¹ Sounds like it would hurt? Actually not. Gua Sha is a relatively pain-free, calming technique when done correctly.  Gua Sha is highly effective and can relieve joint and muscle pain, increase range of motion of a joint and increase circulation, decrease inflammation, and benefit the immune system.

² Now that is amazing. Just think what your body could do with all that increased circulation...feed your tissues with nutrients, repair broken stressed tissue, filter out toxins, and not to mention the pain relief!

Just last week I saw a client for her second session of Gua Sha. This woman has struggled with heaviness, tension and pain in both her legs for years. It has effected her quality of life immensely, preventing her from exercising and being active the way she used to be. After being away on a trip to Florida, I was eager to hear how her legs held up on her trip. To my delight, she reported that she was able to enjoy a pain-free vacation and was able to take SEVERAL long walks on the beach during her trip! She was absolutely elated and said she couldn't wait to continue forward with her Gua Sha sessions.

This could be you!! Are you struggling with chronic pain due to tight muscles, tension that feels like a straight-jacket, or decreased range of motion in a joint? Instead of spending this spring season in pain, why not get a Gua Sha session and experience the pain relief and mobility you've been searching for? Whether you are training for a summer race or you just want to get outside and enjoy a walk, set yourself up for success this spring and get Gua Sha!

1  Gua Sha is an Eastern Medicine technique where a tool is used to scrape a lubricated area of the body that is tight, restricted or experiencing a decreased range of motion.

2  In a particular study conducted in Germany, Gua Sha was shown to increase circulation by four-fold in the body, as well as decreasing pain levels simultaneously.

Written by: Amy Potgieter
Licensed Massage Therapist