Brazilian Journal of Pain
https://brjp.org.br/article/doi/10.5935/2595-0118.20190050
Brazilian Journal of Pain
Review Article

Gua-sha: application and therapeutic results in musculoskeletal pain situations. Systematic review

Gha-sha: aplicação e seus resultados terapêuticos em condições dolorosas musculoesqueléticas. Revisão sistemática

Dérrick Patrick Artioli; Gladson Ricardo Flor Bertolini

http://dx.doi.org/10.5935/2595-0118.20190050 BrJP, vol.2, n3, p.284-288, 2019
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Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Gua-sha is a Traditional Chinese Medicine technique, which consists of scraping the skin with a smooth and rounded edges object until the appearance of petechiae. Used domestically in Asia, it is described as capable of promoting the improvement of several conditions (e. g. respiratory, digestive, fever, and insomnia), such as painful conditions. However, there is a shortage of systematic reviews in this respect in Western literature, so this study aimed to analyze the common use of Gua-sha and the methodological quality of the studies.

CONTENTS: The PEDro, Pubmed, Scielo and LILACS Databases were consulted, searching for clinical trials with the following keywords and Boolean index: Gua-sha AND pain; Scraping therapy AND pain (English, Portuguese and Spanish). Thirty-two articles were pre-selected, but only six met the inclusion criteria (clinical trial, pain as one of the evaluation criteria, musculoskeletal pain). The disorders reported were related to the spine, with a mostly superior response or similar to the control group, being investigated in the short term (7-21 days). The studies methodological quality were considered moderate according to the PEDro scale.

CONCLUSION: Gua-sha is a simple, inexpensive alternative with short-term effects for the treatment of conditions involving the spine and surrounding areas, such as a single intervention or in combination. Its practice is already well referenced but requires studies of high methodological quality and analysis of its effects also in the appendicular skeleton.

Keywords

Chinese Traditional Medicine, Pain, Physical therapy modalities, Physical therapy speciality, Rehabilitation

Resumo

JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVOS: Gua-sha é uma técnica da Medicina Tradicional Chinesa, que consiste em raspar a pele com objeto de bordas lisas e arredondadas até o surgimento de petéquias. De uso doméstico na Ásia, é descrita como capaz de promover a melhora de uma série de afecções (ex. respiratórias, digestivas, febre e insônia), como a de quadros dolorosos. Contudo, há escassez de revisões sistemáticas a esse respeito na literatura ocidental, assim o objetivo deste estudo foi analisar a aplicação usual de Gua-sha e a qualidade metodológica dos estudos.

CONTEÚDO: Foram consultadas as bases de dados PEDro, Pubmed, Scielo e LILACS, buscando por ensaios clínicos com as seguintes palavras chaves e índice booleano: Gua-sha AND pain; Scraping therapy AND pain (inglês, português e espanhol). Foram pré-selecionados 32 artigos, mas apenas 6 atenderam os critérios de inclusão (ensaio clínico, dor como um dos critérios de avaliação, quadros álgicos musculoesqueléticos). Os distúrbios registrados foram relacionados à coluna vertebral, com resposta superior em sua maioria ou semelhante ao grupo controle, sendo investigados em curto prazo (7-21 dias). A qualidade metodológica aponta para estudos moderados de acordo com a escala PEDro.

CONCLUSÃO: Gua-sha é uma alternativa simples, de baixo custo, com efeitos estudados em curto prazo para tratamento de afecções envolvendo a coluna vertebral e áreas próximas, como intervenção única ou em associação. Sua prática já se encontra bem retratada, porém necessitando de estudos de alta qualidade metodológica e análise de seus efeitos também no esqueleto apendicular.

Palavras-chave

Dor, Fisioterapia, Medicina Tradicional Chinesa, Modalidades de fisioterapia, Reabilitação

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Submitted date:
10/29/2018

Accepted date:
02/18/2019

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