Cupping and Gua Sha

Cupping involves the use of glass or plastic “cups” that are placed on specific sites on your body. These cups create a vacuum through the use of heat or suction and, thereby, stimulate the flow of blood and qi to the area. Patients generally report that cupping feels like a deep massage. The suction usually creates a superficial circular bruise, as a result of stagnated blood and qi moving to the surface. The greater the stagnation of qi and blood, the more obvious the discoloration of the ecchymosis. This is a temporary and normal response that will disappear within a few days, as cupping and gua sha increase cellular turnover via the immune system.
Gua sha or “spooning” is a painless, relaxing therapy used to release tension and promote blood flow to specific areas. Similar to cupping, gua sha usually leaves some residual redness or “sha.” Though this practice is par for the course in China, Vietnam, and Indonesia, the redness may be visually surprising and somewhat alarming to Western eyes. It is the same superficial bruising (subcutaneous ecchymosis) that occurs with cupping, except that it is not contained within a circle. Unlike deeper bruises with which we are most familiar, the “sha” or ecchymosis from gua sha is superficial and fades within 2-4 days. Instead of cups, a Gua sha tool creates more of a gentle scraping and feels like a massage.