Gua Sha is a folk physiotherapy based on traditional Chinese medicine theories. According to the TCM theory of “the twelve channels and eight extra meridians”, Gua Sha is performed on certain parts of the skin by scraping with a tool to stimulate the main and collateral channels. This may result in sub-cutaneous blemishing, which will help dredge meridians, promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis.

Gua Sha treatment originated from the stone needle therapy of the primitive society. The word “sha” is otherwise known as “miasma”, which refers to symptoms of various diseases that can be seen on the skin, such as a rash.

The sha disease may occur at any time of the year, especially in summer and autumn. Suffering such an attack, the patient usually feels dizzy and fidgety, with aching, numbing and cold limbs. Serious conditions may cause a sudden faint.

In modern medicine, sha is attributed to sub-cutaneous blemishing, which is a natural hemolytic phenomenon and usually occurs in areas with poor blood circulation. And Gua Sha is good for removing blood stasis and expediting the recovery process.

For each part of the body, the scraping time normally lasts for 3 to 5 minutes, with 20 minutes at the longest, depending on the patient's comfortable feeling. After the Gua Sha treatment, the skin may slightly ache, itch or turn red, which are quite normal. One should bear in mind that the treatment is not suitable for all ailments and it should not be performed on the same area that the rash of the previous session has not faded.