Keywords
Gua Sha
Cupping therapy
TCM nursing
Pain
Joint function
Submitted : 2026-03-22
Accepted : 2026-04-06
Published : 2026-04-21
Abstract
Shoulder periarthritis is a common disease characterized by shoulder joint pain and dysfunction, which seriously affects patients’ quality of life. In the clinical treatment of shoulder periarthritis, external therapies of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) have unique advantages. This paper focuses on the TCM nursing model of Gua Sha combined with cupping therapy. By systematically elaborating on the operational process and detailed requirements of this nursing model, it further compares with conventional nursing to analyze its clinical effects in relieving pain, improving shoulder joint mobility, and enhancing quality of life. The results show that Gua Sha combined with cupping TCM nursing can effectively dredge the meridians and Qi-blood in the shoulder, dispel cold and dampness, and relieve muscle spasm. Its analgesic and functional recovery effects are significantly superior to simple conventional nursing, with high safety, and it is worthy of popularization and application in clinical nursing.
References
Sun M, 2026, Influence of Gua Sha Combined with Cupping TCM Nursing on Shoulder Mobility and Living Function in Shoulder Periarthritis. Proceedings of Academic Seminar Series on Life Care and Intelligent Health Care: 3.
Xiao Y, Guo G, 2025, Research Progress on Clinical Efficacy of Gua Sha in Treatment of Shoulder Periarthritis. Guangming Journal of Chinese Medicine, 40(19): 4363–4366.
Shi H, Jiang R, Sun M, et al., 2025, Analysis of Gua Sha Therapy Scheme for Shoulder Periarthritis. Family Nurse, 23(15): 2944–2948.
Liu Q, Wei T, Li W, et al., 2025, Application of Fire Dragon Cup Moxibustion Combined with Copper Needle Meridian Gua Sha in Shoulder Periarthritis of Cold-Damp Type. Hainan Medical Journal, 36(3): 360–365.
Wang S, Yu J, Cui H, et al., 2025, Clinical Observation of Copper Needle Gua Sha in Treatment of Shoulder Periarthritis of Wind-Cold-Damp Type. Journal of Emergency in Traditional Chinese Medicine, 34(1): 77–80.
Wang J, 2024, Clinical Study on Warm-Dredging Gua Sha Combined with Acupuncture in Treatment of Shoulder Periarthritis (Wind-Cold-Damp Type), thesis, Changchun University of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Qin G, Tao Y, Zheng M, 2024, Clinical Application of Different Gua Sha Methods in Shoulder Periarthritis of Qi Stagnation and Blood Stasis Type. China Health Care and Nutrition, 42(9): 31–34.
Jiang X, Yu J, Zheng S, et al., 2024, Meta-analysis of Gua Sha Combined with Cupping in Treatment of Shoulder Periarthritis. Evidence-Based Nursing, 10(2): 225–231.
Chen X, Shangguan F, 2023, Effect of Ear Holographic Copper Needle Gua Sha Nursing in Shoulder Periarthritis of Blood Stasis Type. Fujian Medical Journal, 45(5): 173–175.
Xie S, Cui G, Yan Y, 2023, Clinical Observation of Acupuncture and Gua Sha Combined with Painless Manipulation in Shoulder Periarthritis. Guangming Journal of Chinese Medicine, 38(10): 1926–1928.
Huang G, Zhou M, Zhou X, et al., 2023, Thermosensitive Moxibustion Combined with Gua Sha and Cupping in Treatment of Shoulder Periarthritis. Journal of Minimally Invasive Medicine, 18(1): 88–91 + 111.
Yang L, 2022, Influence of Gua Sha Combined with Cupping on Pain and Shoulder Function in Shoulder Periarthritis. Qingdao Medical and Health, 54(3): 222–224.
Zou S, Duan H, Zhao X, et al., 2022, TCM Mud Moxibustion Combined with Rolling Stick Gua Sha in Shoulder Periarthritis of Cold-Damp Type. Shanghai Nursing, 22(1): 10–14.
Hu B, 2019, Comparison of Gua Sha Combined with Cupping and Simple Cupping in Treatment of Shoulder Periarthritis. Inner Mongolia Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 38(8): 134–135.
Sun J, 2019, Application Value of Gua Sha Combined with Cupping in Nursing of Shoulder Periarthritis. Electronic Journal of Practical Clinical Nursing Science, 4(11): 113.