06/28/2019 / By Evangelyn Rodriguez
In this study, researchers from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University designed a randomized crossover pilot study and evaluated its feasibility on elderly subjects. The results of their clinical trial protocol, which focused on the effects of gua sha on inflammatory biomarkers, were published in the journal Complementary Therapies in Medicine.
Based on these findings, the researchers concluded that their clinical trial protocol is feasible for evaluating the effectiveness of gua sha and other therapies and that gua sha provides a longer-lasting anti-inflammatory effect and pain relief than hot pack treatment in elderly patients with chronic lower back pain.
Journal Reference:
Yuen JW, Tsang WW, Tse SH, Loo WT, Chan ST, Wong DL, Chung HH, Tam JK, Choi TK, Chiang VC. THE EFFECTS OF GUA SHA ON SYMPTOMS AND INFLAMMATORY BIOMARKERS ASSOCIATED WITH CHRONIC LOW BACK PAIN: A RANDOMIZED ACTIVE-CONTROLLED CROSSOVER PILOT STUDY IN ELDERLY. Complementary Therapies in Medicine. June 2017;32:25–32. DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2017.03.010
Tagged Under: aging, alternative medicine, alternative therapy, anti-inflammatory, back pain, chronic pain, disability improvement, Gua sha, inflammation, inflammatory biomarkers, joint pain, musculoskeletal disorders, pain relief, prevention, remedies, research, skin scraping, TCM, traditional Chinese medicine