This Body Gua Sha Got Rid Of My Neck Pain

Neck stuff is my shopping kryptonite. Anything that claims to take away pain and tension from my neck or shoulders — from travel pillows to pricey massage guns — gets an immediate "add to cart" from me. These purchases usually end in disappointment: I project so much hope onto these solutions, only to find them too tricky or time-consuming to incorporate into my everyday routine. My latest obsession for neck pain relief, a combo of Nativa SPA's Gua Sha Stone and Quinoa Firming Body Oil, hits different though.

This relaxing hack was discovered by total accident. I've been applying the brand's much-hyped quinoa-infused body oil all over when I decided to experiment with the gua sha stone, too. I saw it as a way to help the product absorb into my skin quicker, but what ended up happening was so much more than that — body gua sha has done so much for my tense muscles and has overall improved my sleep. Keep reading to find out how adapting this extra step to your skin-care routine can help kick your tech neck to the curb.

Gua sha is not new to me. I've written about the origin of gua sha in China and would consider myself fairly familiar with the tools, which come in various shapes and sizes. Still, I did a double take on this gua sha stone's quirky shape. Instead of the usual two-prong concave style, this one features a smooth curve on the top side and scalloped edges on both the bottom and left corner.

Most gua sha tools on the market are made in rose quartz, but I like this smooth and shiny material, which is a black obsidian stone. It stayed cool against my skin and felt less brittle compared to its crystal alternatives.

I was looking to ease my tense trapezius muscles, but according to ancient Chinese gua sha practices, I should start by paying attention to other parts of my body first. Your qi, a term in Chinese medicine that equates to "life energy," flows through different meridian lines or internal pathways over your body. Since everything is connected, it made sense to start doing gua sha on my legs. That's where circulation tends to be the poorest since my blood has to travel the farthest from the heart.

I applied Nativa SPA's Quinoa Firming Body Oil all over my calves and carefully scraped the gua sha stone from my ankles toward my knees in an upward motion. Now, there's one important rule for gua sha that I'll repeat ad nauseam: You absolutely should go slow and gentle and keep your tool as flat against the surface of your skin as humanly possible. This helps your hand rein in the amount of pressure (so you don't accidentally bruise yourself). The body oil in this case acted as the lubricant to further reduce friction.

I used the smooth, curved side of the gua sha tool on my legs and repeated the motions for several minutes. The effects were almost immediate. Due to my perpetually awful posture, my legs would get stiff and cramped all the time — but a quick gua sha session felt like something had warmed up my bloodstream through my skin. My calf muscles were instantly loosened up; my legs were gleaming from the quinoa-infused oil (in case you didn't know, quinoa is packed with the hydrating super-agent omega).

I also suffer from sore wrists (and probably a mild form of carpel tunnel) due to excessive laptop use, so my fingers were next on the agenda. The long scalloped edge of the tool was super-useful for scraping my fingers in an outward motion, as I was able to work multiple fingers at once. This move was so satisfying that I started to question why I hadn't thought of massaging my fingers earlier. The sense of warmth traveled to my fingertips, and I felt more relaxed than ever.

To further boost my blood circulation, I did some gentle neck stretching before oiling up my neck and shoulders and working the stone on my upper back. I used the shortest scalloped edge to scrap my neck, top to bottom. The two curved ends perfectly lined up with the muscles on both sides of my neck that tend to hurt the most after a day of desk work. I finished off the whole routine by tracing the tool down my trapezius muscles, then from my jawline to my collarbone on the front. My other hand was rested on the top of my head to get the angles right and keep my tool steady.

Not only did this quick step before bed significantly reduce my neck and shoulder pain, but I also had a much easier time falling asleep. I tend to get icy fingers and feet, but the body gua sha made a big difference to my circulation and kept my limbs warm when I tuck myself in. Another positive side effect is how supple and hydrated the quinoa body oil made my skin feel, and the gorgeous vanilla scent was also a major mood enhancer. I only wish I had given body gua sha a try before pulling the trigger on a neck massager.