Gua Sha Therapy for Chronic Low Back Pain

Chronic low back pain is a major public health burden with only limited evidence of effectiveness for complementary and traditional therapies. Gua Sha is a traditional East Asian therapy traditionally used in the treatment of spinal pain. This study aimed to test the efficacy of Gua Sha therapy in patients with chronic low back pain A total of 50 patients with chronic low back pain were randomized to either two Gua Sha treatments (n=25) or a waitlist control group (n=25). Primary outcome measure was current pain intensity on a 100-mm visual analog scale; secondary outcome measures included back-related function (Oswestry Disability Index), movement-related pain (modified Pain on Movement Questionnaire), as well as pressure pain threshold, mechanical detection threshold, and vibration detection threshold.

Inclusion criteria

• non-specific low back pain at least once weekly for at least the previous 3 months
• average back pain intensity hat least 40mm on a 100mm visual analog scale (VAS)

Exclusion criteria

• specific low back pain due to trauma, disc protrusion, whiplash, congenital deformity of the spine, spinal stenosis, neoplasm, inflammatory rheumatic disease, or oncologic disease
• dystonia
• pregnancy
• invasive treatment of the spine or spinal surgery within the previous 4 weeks
• oral steroids or anticoagulants
• hemophilia or a skin condition in the area to be treated
• started a new treatment for low back pain within the previous month or planning to start a new treatment within the next month