Gua sha is an ancient Chinese medicine healing tool used by many practitioners to promote healing and reduce pain. Gua sha will be performed by your doctor but can easily be taught for you to do this at home. Physical therapist created their own term for Gua sha called the Graston Technique. Gua sha is the gentle or firm stroking(scraping) of the skin with a soft edged tool to help improve circulation and reduce myofascial tension. Massage oil, cbd cream or lotion will be placed on the skin prior to gua sha. 

Gua sha is usually not painful. Gua sha is similar to a massage and you can tell your practitioner to use more or less pressure while scraping to your comfort level. Gua sha uses a tool with rounded edges that allow you to scrape without causing pain. 

Gua sha releases myofascial tension and is great for acute pain, chronic pain, tendonitis, muscle spasm or tears. It works great for relieving the knots you feel in your muscles. The scraping stimulates and improves the microcirculation in your capillaries. Stimulating your capillaries increases blood flow and helps with inflammation and detoxing your tissues. Gua sha is great at removing the lactic acid from your muscles. Lactic acid build up is what causes you pain after exercising.