"OMG you're kidding me, right?"
That was Miss 15's reaction to the photo. It had started out simply enough. I got an Instagram DM from a client, showing one of my Pure Thai Naturals' Thai herbal beeswax balms that he uses in his massage & deep tissue therapy practice in Brazil.
Me: "OOOooohhh Sebastien's using my balm for Gua Sha!!" (in a slightly squealy-happy tone)
"Gua whaaat?", my daughter had asked.
"Gua Sha", I answered. "Traditional Chinese scraping massage."
She looked at me blankly. Which led to a loooong explanation from me of how fascia contains nerve tissue, and how Gua Sha can be incredibly effective for pain if done well. Which led to a long chat about the pros and cons of Gua Sha and the way some cultures view the body and pain differently from others.
"Can I see? What it looks like after a treatment?"
And so I showed her this.
And this.
Which lead to the OMG reaction.
In Chinese medicine theory, the scraping and controlled damage to the underlying tissue moves "excess wind energy". In western medical terms, causing low level and controlled bleeding under the skin forces a circulatory and immune response from the body, which will immediately seek to resolve the blood trapped beneath the skin, thereby bringing renewed vascular and white cell energy ...and subsequent healing.
Various tools have been used throughout the centuries, ranging from mystical sacred bones and pieces of jade to old kitchen spoons.
It's important NOT to use anything too sharp that will break the skin, and important to use a massage balm that's not too slippery (not oil), is natural & chemical free (maximum absorption to bloodstream going to be happening through that inflamed red skin) but which still gives enough "glide" to protect the skin surface. Hence the instagram story of my beeswax massage balm doing service in Brazil. The standard Gua Sha tools look something like this:
and there is always much more "energy" if the tool was handmade or gifted by one's Chinese medicine teacher.
Gua Sha is best understood by seeing it in practice.
Does it hurt? It can, if it's not done correctly or well. I found my back uncomfortably HOT after the two treatments I had years ago. Which explains why my client chooses a cooling, soothing balm.
Gua Sha is an ancient art and discussed in Chinese texts dating back almost 1800 years. It's widely practiced in China and Vietnam, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and yes, also in northern Thailand.
The bruises can take up to a week to fade, depending on your body's healing response.
Is it safe for everyone? Clearly not recommend for young children, never on open wounds or on people with known blood clotting disorders. The biggest risks are from burns (too much friction, not enough balm) or hematoma - an uncontrolled bleeding and pooling of blood under the skin which can be painful and dangerous. Both of those risks make it IMPERATIVE that you go to a well trained Gua Sha therapist.
If you're in Sao Paulo, Brazil, I can personally recommend Sebastien Massages because I know the well credentialed people he has studied with here in Thailand. And he uses an excellent beeswax balm. 😉 Never be shy to ask to see credentials.
Have YOU ever had a Gua Sha massage?
Did you like it?
Did it help?
If you've never had one, would you try?
Love to hear your answers in the comments below.
The Beeswax Balm Sebastien uses? Here's the store link and yes, we ship worldwide with DHL and throughout Thailand with Kerry Express.
You can follow Sebastien (great videos) on IG @sebastienmassage
Disclaimer: this blog is not intended as medical advice, but purely as an anecdotal overview of a common Chinese medicine treatment. Please always see a well trained, registered and licensed TCM practitioner.
Join The Best Natural Health Community on Hive
