In this procedure massage oil is applied to the skin of the area to be treated. A smooth edged instrument is used to apply strokes on the skin typically in the area of pain or on the back parallel to the spine.
In the TCM tradition, pain is oftentimes caused by the stagnation of blood in the local area of discomfort. The guiding principle behind guasha is that this technique has the ability to break up stagnation to promote the smooth flow of blood and qi in the area, stimulates the bodies natural pain relieving opiod systems, blocking pain response pathways.