Paula's Body Shop
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About "Smooth" Gua Sha


Smooth gua sha is an as-needed technique of Paula's and therefore is incorporated on an as-needed basis in all sessions. Although it is not advised, if you prefer to receive smooth gua sha only, you simply request it during the consult upon arrival.

Unlike Traditional Gua Sha

Gua sha marks on back of female patient
Gua sha marks on scapula of patient
Gua sha is an ancient Chinese method of healing that literally means "to scrape the sha", where sha, loosely translated, is the release of deeply trapped heat or inflammation. ​Like most simple methods, there is much more going on beneath the surface than meets the eye with gua sha.

Paula adapts the gua sha tool for a gentle, smooth procedure that is unlike traditional gua sha.

Smooth gua sha can release tension and normalize things like liver enzymes, ​and also helps relieve the many forms of arthritis and their unique symptoms. Smooth gua sha often provides long-term pain relief - and even regression of arthritis symptoms.

Read more about gua sha in Paula's blog.

The research on gua sha

"Modern research shows Gua sha produces an anti-inflammatory and immune protective effect that persists for days following a single Gua sha treatment. This accounts for its effect on pain, stiffness, fever, chill, cough, wheeze, nausea and vomiting, etc." - www.guasha.com

Perhaps most astounding about gua sha is its ability to normalize liver enzymes. If it can do that for the liver, we look forward to future research on its benefits on other organ systems.

About those red marks

Traditional gua sha always brings redness. Paula's smooth gua sha results in redness only when there's inflammation and it has been siphoned to the surface. The redness that can rise up from beneath is only that: Inflammation rising through a siphon action up from the deep. The more buried inflammation you have, the redder it will be. For example, people suffering from arthritis, will usually exhibit more redness - but they'll also feel much better afterward. Smooth gua sha, similar to traditional massage, seems to help usher stuck fascial fluids out of the area to allow fresh, new fluids to come in and do their healing magic.

​Understandably to the uneducated or inexperienced, any redness that might arise could appear to look like bruising, even if the red (which does come from red blood cells) happens to later turn blue/green/yellow, but it is vital to understand that 
no bruising ever takes place - not the least because Paula would never damage a client's body and actual bruising is the result of breaking blood vessels - and we don't break blood vessels at Paula's Body Shop!

​The red sha markings are quite the conversation starter, though!


Paula's innovative use of gua sha technology is less dependent on bringing up the sha, so if you want relief without seeing the red, go ahead and request it!

Hours

By Appointment
​10 AM - 4 PM

Location

Manhattan Valley
Between the Upper West Side and Harlem

Contact

Email preferred
Voice message
Text

Please

No walk-ins
No last-minute appointments
​No advance or phone consultations
No sales or marketing calls

FAQ

Testimonials

About

Repairing the human body since 2003

Fasciae (connective tissue) healing from skin to muscle to bone through innovative, no-nonsense bodywork and education.
​
Prevention, Pain Management, Pain Solutions, Rehabilitation, Special Needs, Body as Instrument (Singers, Dancers, Athletes, Brainiacs, etc.), Stress Reduction, Anti-aging, Sports, Geriatric, Prenatal, etc.

Paula's brand of bodywork is derived from  professional training in Western therapies including but not limited to: Swedish medical massage, Neuromuscular (NMT), and Trigger Point, as well as therapies of Eastern origin including but not limited to: massage cupping by machine and for joint therapy, Acupressure, Shiatsu, and Smooth Gua Sha (similar yet superior to Graston Technique), along with various manual vibrational therapies from dense to subtle like: Tok Sen (hammer massage) and BioSyntonie.
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 Paula's Body Shop
Paula Mae, LMT
Massage Energetics
Copyright © 2003 - 2023
All rights reserved.
The word 'massage' denotes Paula's Fasciae Therapy, aka Connective Tissue therapy, and is remedy-based to solve the root of the issues in your tissues.
  • Appointments:
    • Location and Hours
    • How to Book with Paula
    • Choose Your Session
    • Agree to Office Policies
    • Contact Paula
    • Make a Payment
  • Praise
  • FAQ
  • About:
    • About Paula Mae, LMT
    • About Paula's Massage Therapy
    • About Palpation
    • About Fascia Therapy
    • About Biosyntonie
    • About Tok Sen
    • About Gua Sha
    • About Massage Cupping
    • About Foot Reflexology
  • Info:
    • Post Session Help
    • Products Used: >
      • Herbals
      • Miracle II
      • Aires Tech
    • EMF Solutions
    • First Time Energy Users
  • Blog