Are There any Risks or Side Effects Associated with Gua Sha？
Facial Gua Sha
Yes, facial Gua Sha carries risks and potential side effects. Some people even ask “Has Gua Sha ruined your face”? on the internet. In May 2014, a 23-year-old Canadian man went to the emergency room with difficulty speaking after receiving Gua Sha on his neck. In this case, Gua Sha was applied too forcefully, causing bruising and swelling of the epiglottis, a flap of tissue that covers the airway at the back of the throat. The swelling of the epiglottis blocked the airway, causing the patient to have difficulty speaking.
The doctors gave the patient steroids to reduce the swelling, and the patient's symptoms resolved within two hours. The doctors also noted that the patient's symptoms were different from those typically seen in epiglottitis, which is usually caused by a bacterial infection. In this case, the swelling of the epiglottis was caused by the bruising and contusion from Gua Sha
(Source: https://www.cmaj.ca/content/186/8/E298 )
This case report highlights the importance of using gua sha therapy with caution and avoiding applying it too forcefully. Gua sha therapy can be a safe and effective treatment for many conditions, but it is important to be aware of the potential risks, such as bruising and swelling.
And if you can avoid the following situations, you need not worry about the risks and side effects:
(1) Excessive Gua Sha can cause damage to the tissues beneath the skin. Not only does it fail to help alleviate fatigue and increase skin's blood circulation, but it also adds to the body's burden.
(2) For individuals with skin ulcers, inflammations, allergies, or other skin conditions, Gua Sha is far from being enjoyable; it's more of an ordeal. It can cause greater harm to already delicate skin tissues, potentially leading to infections and exacerbating the condition.
(3) People with certain blood disorders or those with heart or liver issues should strongly avoid Gua Sha, as it can potentially cause more significant harm to the body.
It is recommended to perform facial Gua Sha twice a week, at most three times a week, with a gap of at least two days between two Gua Sha sessions. This approach ensures that after each session, the facial area experiences a normal circulation and detoxification response. The interval of two to three days allows for the circulation to reset, allowing the skin cells and various conditions to undergo self-recovery and readjustment. Avoid excessive frequency.
Body Gua Sha
As long as you follow the points mentioned in the article, facial Gua Sha does not pose risks or side effects. However, body Gua Sha is slightly different and requires attention to the following points during or after treatment:
Fatigue
After Body Gua Sha, a few individuals with weak constitutions who undergo lengthy treatment might still experience fatigue after 24 hours. Ensuring proper nutrition and rest can alleviate it. People with poor health should avoid wind and stay warm after Gua Sha to prevent occasional cold symptoms.
Fainting during Body Gua Sha
Fainting during Body Gua Sha refers to the occurrence of fainting during the treatment process. When this happens, mild symptoms include fatigue, dizziness, paleness, nausea, cold sweats, panic, and chills. In severe cases, blood pressure may drop, leading to a brief period of fainting.
(1) Causes of fainting: The causes of fainting during body Gua Sha include a lack of understanding about the procedure leading to excessive tension, or an unusual sensitivity to pain.
It also happens when the body is weak, such as when body Gua Sha is performed on an empty stomach, after staying up late, or during excessive fatigue. Moreover, if the practitioner's technique is inappropriate and depleting methods are used on individuals with weak constitutions, or if too many areas are scraped for too long, it could harm the person's vital energy.
(2) Treatment for fainting: When fainting occurs, immediately stop the current body Gua Sha treatment. Don't panic, lie down flat, keep warm, and drink warm water or sugar water. Immediately use the corner of the body Gua Sha tool to apply pressure to the Renzhong acupoint.
Applying the draining method to the Baihui and Yongquan acupoints will immediately improve the condition. After fainting improves, continue to scrape the Neiguan and Zusanli acupoints. Following these measures, fainting can be immediately relieved.
(3) Prevention of fainting:
A. To avoid fainting, do not do body Gua Sha on an empty stomach. Also, avoid doing it when you are tired or have stayed up late. Additionally, avoid doing it when you are sweating, experiencing diarrhea, or have had blood loss.
B. Choose an appropriate scraping method according to the constitution of the person receiving body Gua Sha. Those with weak constitutions should use the tonifying method.
C. It is advisable to focus on fewer areas when scraping, and the duration of scraping should not be too long. Following these three points can completely prevent fainting during body Gua Sha.