Gua Sha, known as kerik in Indonesia, Cao Gio in Vietnam (see Harvey Keitel's The Three Seasons) and khoud lam in Laos is a legitimate and effective therapy. In Asia it is usually done with a coin, Chinese soup spoon, slice of water buffalo horn, or even a slice of ginger. A simple cap with a rounded edge is quite good to use and available in most homes in the West. It was not commonly done with wood, but if smooth and the right edge it could be. There is a teaching text in English called Gua Sha. A Traditional Technique for Modern Practice, and a teaching video: Gua Sha: Step-by-Step, by Arya Nielsen.If an acupuncturist is trained in Classical Chinese medicine, they will do this technique in their practice for pain, and for acute or chronic illness.
Review of The Treatment
