Neck Stiffness: Combating the first signs of Cold and Flu with Gua Sha

I know it looks quite scarey. But truthfully it was worth every scrape.

This is GUA SHA, a technique where by blood circulation is promoted and pain disappears.

In addition to resolving musculo skeletal pain, Gua Sha is used to treat as well as prevent common cold and flu.

According to Chinese medicine it expels "Evil Qi" that aches in your muscles and joints, usually the first sign you are coming down with something.

After a day of surprisingly strong wind, my neck and shoulders began to feel incredibly tense, achey, and tender.

Typical of Taiyang syndrome, the first stage of disease according to the Shang Han Lun ( the oldest medical textbook in world history), I experienced the symptoms of severe neck stiffness, runny nose and chills caused when the body's defensive qi is invaded by exogenous pathogenic wind.

Wind is the biggest evil qi out of the six evil qi pathogens that threatens health in Chinese medicine. It can attack the tissues directly or carry all sorts of illnesses with it.

But luckily all I got was a stiff neck and the sniffles.

Gua Sha effectively prevented the progression of illness of what could have easily become cold and flu.

The Chinese have used Gua Sha in their own homes over the centuries with the simplest of tools, the kitchen Spoon.

Try it Out!

First, put a few drops of oil on the skin. Then, take any blunt object, a coin, soupspoon, or metal cap and slowly and continously make long strokes from the neck down.

You'll start to see a few red spots that will guide you where to concentrate on...

You won't believe it until you actually apply Gua Sha how amazing it is. You'll only get red spots exactly where it hurts. Trust me, it is not just skin being scraped off that makes it red.

It is safe, simple and easy to do. The ugly red spots will only last a few days.

Better Gua Sha than another prescription of anitbiotics for your next cold and flu!