Guasha is a common traditional Chinese therapeutic method that is simple and safe to perform. However, many people sweat after guasha treatment. Is it normal to sweat after guasha?
Is it normal to sweat after guasha?
Sweating after guasha treatment can be normal or abnormal.
1. Temporary sweating is normal
After guasha treatment, if cupping or moxibustion is also performed, it can promote blood circulation and accelerate skin metabolism. In this case, the temperature on the skin surface may temporarily increase, leading to easy sweating. Usually, after a short period of rest, sweating will decrease.
2. Excessive sweating is abnormal
If there is persistent and excessive sweating after guasha treatment, it is considered abnormal. It may be caused by excessive cupping or guasha, leading to deficiency of Qi and blood, which results in insufficient ability to retain sweat and excessive sweating. It may also be due to inherent Yin deficiency and Qi deficiency, where excessive energy is consumed during guasha, causing instability in the protective Qi and resulting in excessive sweating.
3. Hot sweat is normal, cold sweat is abnormal
In addition, there is a saying that if you sweat after guasha and the sweat is hot and greasy, it is considered normal; however, if the sweat is cold, it is considered abnormal.
Is sweating after guasha a detoxification reaction?
Sweating after guasha is not considered a detoxification reaction.
The detoxification effect of guasha mainly comes from the appearance of sha, which is the result of scraping specific acupoints along the meridians. This process causes congestion and rupture of capillaries, leading to self-hemolysis and the release of impure Qi from the body, thus eliminating toxins that are trapped in the body. The appearance of sha is a sign of detoxification. Therefore, the detoxification effect of guasha mainly comes from the appearance of sha, and sweating after guasha should be considered as a result of other reasons, not as an indicator of detoxification.
What to do if sweating continues after guasha?
If sweating continues after guasha treatment, it may be due to excessive guasha or the patient's Yin deficiency, which makes guasha unsuitable for them.
1. Resting is important
In such cases, besides excessive sweating, symptoms such as dizziness, pale complexion, and fatigue may also occur. It is recommended to rest at home, keep warm, and wipe off excessive sweat in a timely manner.
2. Hydration is essential
When sweating continues after guasha treatment, it is important to replenish fluids. It is recommended to drink warm water with a small amount of salt to replenish the lost sodium in the sweat. Drinking fruit juice can also provide potassium supplementation.
3. Medication may be needed
In cases of excessive sweating after guasha treatment, the symptoms usually improve within a week. If the symptoms do not improve, it is advisable to consult a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner or take Chinese herbal medicine that can benefit Qi and stabilize sweating under the guidance of a doctor.
Can you exercise and sweat after guasha?
It is not recommended to exercise immediately after guasha treatment.
Usually, it is not recommended to exercise or sweat immediately after guasha treatment because the sweat pores in the treated area are open. Exercising and sweating, followed by exposure to wind or taking a shower, can cause the treated area to be exposed to cold, which not only does not achieve the desired effect of guasha but may also cause harm. It is best to wait for a day before exercising.
Precautions for guasha therapy
Precautions before guasha treatment
1. Guasha therapy requires exposed skin, and during guasha, the sweat pores on the skin open. If exposed to wind or cold, external pathogenic factors can directly enter the body through the open pores, affecting the effectiveness of guasha and potentially causing new diseases. Therefore, it is important to choose a good treatment location with fresh and well-ventilated air, and pay attention to keeping warm. Avoid guasha in places with drafts, especially in summer. Try to minimize exposed skin.
2. Choose a comfortable position for guasha to facilitate scraping and prevent dizziness from scraping.
3. The guasha tools must be strictly sterilized to prevent cross-infection. Before scraping, carefully inspect the guasha tools to avoid skin injuries.
4. The hands of the practitioner should also be disinfected.
5. Before scraping, it is important to explain the general knowledge of guasha to the patient and alleviate their fear, gaining their cooperation to prevent dizziness from scraping.
6. Guasha treatment should not be performed on patients who are excessively hungry, full, or under excessive tension.
Precautions during guasha therapy
1. The scraping technique should be evenly applied with appropriate pressure, based on the patient's tolerance, until sha appears.
2. For infants, young children, and the elderly, the scraping technique should be gentle.
3. Do not excessively pursue the appearance of sha by using excessive force or extending the scraping time. The amount of sha appearance is influenced by various factors. Generally, blood stasis conditions produce more sha; excess and heat conditions produce more sha; deficiency and cold conditions produce less sha; excessive medication, especially the use of hormone drugs, makes it difficult to produce sha; obese individuals and those with well-developed muscles find it difficult to produce sha; Yin meridians are less likely to produce sha than Yang meridians; sha appearance is less likely in low room temperatures.
4. During the scraping process, it is important to frequently ask the patient about their feelings. If dizziness occurs, such as fatigue, dizziness, pale complexion, nausea, cold sweat, palpitations, cold limbs, or blood pressure drop, or even loss of consciousness, scraping should be immediately stopped. Comfort the patient and avoid anxiety, help them lie down, keep warm, and offer warm water or sweet soup to drink. If the symptoms do not improve, light pressing of the water channel points with the corner of the guasha tool can be done, avoiding swelling after pressing. Use the draining scraping method on the Baihui and Yongquan acupoints. After the patient's condition improves, continue scraping the Neiguan and Zusanli acupoints.
Precautions after guasha therapy
1. Guasha treatment opens the sweat pores and expels pathogenic factors. It also consumes some of the body's fluids. Therefore, it is important to drink a cup of warm water and rest for a while after guasha treatment.
2. After guasha treatment, to prevent the invasion of wind and cold pathogenic factors, the skin pores should be allowed to close and return to their original state before taking a bath. Generally, this takes about 3 hours.
3. For patients with complex and severe conditions, in addition to guasha treatment, other therapies, such as medication, should be used to avoid delaying the treatment of the condition.
