Change of season alert!
It’s now the month of October and Austin weather is at its best. I will miss the summer, but it’s also nice that it’s finally cooling down. It is very typical at this time – the changing of season, a lot of people start having some sneezing and coughs. Having Acupuncture treatment is great way to sustain your health especially at this “change of season time” of the year.
Today, I’d like to introduce you to Gua-sha (刮痧). It is a technique to release the exterior Ja-ki (邪気), the unhealthy energy that causes your body become weakened and catch cold. Gua-sha also is very helpful in stimulating the blood flow and healing where the muscle is so tight or any painful area on your body.
The method of Gua-sha is to scrape the lubricated skin with repeated pressure with ceramic spoon, jade, or anything with a smooth edge. Scraping causes the skin to be red and bruising. This bruising is great, because it indicates the sign of stagnation or Ja-ki are releasing. The bruising goes away after 3-5 days.
Unlike Cupping which several cups are placed on the skin to produce the suction to cause the bruising, Gua-sha can scrape wider or narrower parts on the body and also give the pressure stroke that it is hard to give with cupping.
Either Gua-sha or Cupping can help you stop catching cold so often by strengthening your exterior body energy. So, watch out your symptom like back of neck getting tight and heavy, little scratchy throat, sluggish whole-body, and lower energy and tiredness. That is exactly when you should get Gua-sha or Cupping. Catch it early and you feel so much better!
Have a Happy Fall!
