Massage Therapy

How Can Gua Sha Help?

Gua sha is a traditional technique used in Chinese medicine that utilizes a smooth-edged tool to glide across the skin and improve blood circulation. Generally, gua sha is performed on the back, arms and legs. However, it can also be used on the face and neck in a gentler manner to assist with lymphatic drainage.

What is Gua Sha?

To begin, your registered massage therapist (RMT) will apply an oil or some lotion. This helps the gua sha tool glide across your skin with ease and reduce friction, similar to regular massage therapy modalities. The RMT then uses an upwards or downwards scraping motion over the skin to promote blood flow. Gua sha is also very similar to another technique used by physiotherapists, which is known as instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization, or IASTM. Gua sha follows the same principles as IASTM which is well known in clinical practice and widely researched with some proven benefits.

How Can It Help?

By improving blood circulation and blood flow to the muscle area that the technique is performed on, gua sha helps to restore oxygen to the muscle which supports cell repair, reduces muscle tension and relaxes the muscle, and potentially provides some pain relief.

When performed on the face and neck, gua sha helps promote lymphatic drainage which can reduce facial puffiness in the short-term.

What to Expect After My Gua Sha Treatment

The scraping motion used in gua sha causes some purple or red bruising on the skin, but this is as a result of the increased blood flow to the region and minor abrasion in the tiny blood vessels (known as capillaries) near the surface of the skin. This does however go away on its own relatively quickly. Along with the minor bruising, there may be some soreness or tenderness experienced afterwards, but other than this, gua sha is a safe treatment and relaxation modality.

Ready to Book Your Massage Therapy Appointment with Gua Sha?

Gua sha is an emerging technique used in clinical practice. As our knowledge of this practice increases, its ability to help in everyone’s wellness journeys and ultimately improve health and wellbeing at the individual level also increases. At Embark Physical Therapy, we are doing what we can to be at the forefront of these revolutionary advancements to provide our clients with the most up-to-date, holistic and personalized care that is specific to their health and wellness journey. We are excited to continue exploring the benefits of gua sha in Waterloo Region and offer it through massage therapy as one more way to help our clients reach their optimal state of health and wellbeing.

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References:

Bhosale, P., & Kolke(PT), S. (2023). Effectiveness of instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM) and muscle energy technique (MET) on post-operative elbow stiffness: a randomized clinical trial. The Journal of Manual & Manipulative Therapy, ahead-of print(ahead-of-print), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1080/10669817.2022.2122372

Ge, H., Yan, S., Yin, M., Gao, Y., Wang, J., Wang, Q., Xu, G., Yang, M., & Massimiliano Valeriani. (2025). Gua Sha Alleviates Radiculitis-Induced Pain Via HIF-1α-Mediated Metabolic Reprogramming Pathway in Rats. Pain Research & Management, 2025(1), 9923147-. https://doi.org/10.1155/prm/9923147

Osailan, A., Jamaan, A., Talha, K., & Alhndi, M. (2021). Instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM) versus stretching: A comparison in effectiveness on hip active range of motion, muscle torque and power in people with hamstring tightness. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, 27(NA), 200–206. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbmt.2021.03.001

Xu, Y. C., Wang, Q. Q., Chen, M. Y., Gao, Y. J., Wang, J. Y., Ge, H. T., Weng, H., Chen, J. P., & Xu, G. H. (2024). The Effect of Gua Sha Therapy on Pain in Parkinson’s Disease: a Randomized Controlled Trial. International Journal of General Medicine, 17, 2791–2800. https://doi.org/10.2147/IJGM.S461958

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Written by Celeena George, BSc Health Sciences

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