I experience gua sha, while i don’t experience cupping. But i have seen many people whether the old or the young loving cupping. Do you know the difference between gua sha and cupping? I’m going to give you a little science about the difference between gua sha and cupping.
- The extend of gua sha is large and its technique is easier than cupping. Gua sha can scrape in a large and consistent manner on the skin, or directly at painful points. The difficult thing of cupping is to control the gap of between one cup and another cup. And cupping is divided into vacuum and fire cupping that is more useful for TCM.
- Cupping can remove cold and TCM, clear channels and meridians, promote blood circulation, decrease puffiness and relieve pain, remove toxins and waste. It also helps regulate body’s balance, relieve fatigue and strengthen skin’s health. Gua sha can promote blood circulation and metabolism, improve micro-circulation, clear body’s toxins and waste.
- Gua sha only scrapes human body’s surface, while cupping is inclined to remove the deep toxins. Someone is suitable to scrape or cup according to personal physical conditions. Someone can afford gua sha and cupping, but not recommend everyone to try. Gua sha is to scrape along the meridians, while cupping uses acupuncture points for its effect.
Can gua sha and cupping do at the same time?
Yes. Gua sha and cupping usually can do at the same time. Gua sha is targeted on the back’s surface, effecting on the parts that cupping can’t do, which helps better clear channels and meridians. While cupping is more stimulating. However, if someone is weak and lacks of blood and energy, they can’t be done together at the best. Because gua sha and cupping makes people weaker.
What kind of people aren’t suitable to gua sha?
- People who suffer from severe cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease, liver and kidney insufficiency, and general swelling can’t scrape.
This is because gua sha method of Chinese medicine can cause congestion under the skin, promote blood circulation, increase the burden on the heart, lung, liver and kidneys and aggravate the condition. In addition, women who are pregnant or during menstrual flow don’t perform TCM gua sha therapy.
- TCM gua sha therapy is prohibited on boils, ulcers, sores, carbuncles, rashes and unexplained lumps on the surface of the body, as it can lead to infection and spread of the wound. Acute sprains, painful areas of trauma or fractures prohibit TCM gua sha therapy increases bleeding at the wound site.
- People infected with contact skin disease are prohibited gua sha, since this treatment may infect with others.
- Some people incline to bleed, such as severe anemia, leukemia, aplastic anemia and thrombocytopenia.
What kinds of parts are prohibited to cup?
- Head
Head isn’t recommended to cup, since cupping causing scars will influence facial beauty. Head’s skin is thin and there’s much hairs. Thus head isn’t suitable to cup.
- Parts have many wrinkles and loose
Cupping in the parts that are sagging and have many wrinkles and scars easily falls off and then it doesn’t effect.
- Important organs’surface
Important organs’ surface should be prohibited when cupping, because the heat can directly lead to organ, which may influence the physical functions to organs, such as heart, eye, lung and so on.
- End of limb
There are a lot of nerves at the end of limbs, and cupping directly in these areas can be very painful and indirectly affect the functioning of the organs.
- Lumbosacral region of pregnant women
When performing cupping in pregnant women, special attention should be paid to the fact that during pregnancy. The abdomen still lumbosacral area is prohibited moxibustion, otherwise it may be detrimental to the fetus. Pregnant women themselves aren’t recommended to cup. Fire cupping in pregnant women may cause preterm miscarriage. In particular, fire cupping shouldn’t be done in the abdomen or groin.
The effects of gua sha and cupping are very powerful and strong, though you need to notice these cautions before gua sha or cupping.
