That’s why acupuncturist Paige Yang, L.Ac, DACM, doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and founder of Yang Face, sees plenty of patients for sinus discomfort: “Just like how a masseuse might work on one spot on your back, you’re breaking up that fascia,” she tells mbg. Below, she offers up one of her own targeted tutorials to gently knead those sinuses. And while there are tons of TCM literature to support the ancient Chinese modality, one study found that gua sha can increase microcirculation, with participants maintaining increased circulation well after the gua sha practice was over. Another report found that scraping (which has a similar effect to gua sha) promoted blood perfusion and increased the temperature in the scraping area. (See here for a full rundown of gua sha benefits.)
