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One person's account of breathing more freely after gua sha says nothing about the cause of your symptoms. New breathlessness needs medical attention.

An anecdote is not an explanation

You may have come across a personal story of someone who felt they could breathe more easily after gua sha. Accounts like that can be interesting, but they offer no insight into what is causing another person's breathing difficulty. Breathlessness can stem from asthma, infections, heart or lung conditions, anaemia, anxiety and many other causes.

Dr Christine Shen, Acupuncturist, is clear that new or unexplained breathlessness needs medical assessment before anything else.

When to seek medical help

See your GP promptly if breathing difficulty is new, worsening or unexplained. Call 000 if you have severe breathlessness, chest pain, blue lips, confusion or difficulty speaking in full sentences. These symptoms should never wait for a complementary therapy appointment.

Talking about tension and stress

Once medical causes have been considered, some people want to discuss stress and muscular tension in the neck, shoulders and upper back. Let Christine know whether the change in your breathing is recent, ongoing or linked to other symptoms such as cough, wheeze or palpitations.

It is easy to assume that tightness in the chest must be stress because life has been hectic. Please do not make that assumption on your own. A suitable plan begins by separating a relaxation goal from a symptom that needs investigating.

If gua sha is considered

Should gua sha be appropriate for upper-body tension, mention afterwards any lingering tenderness, irritation or bruising that seemed excessive. The tool and technique should suit you, not a photograph of a particular result. Christine can then continue, adjust or suggest a different option.

• Keep your GP informed about any ongoing breathing symptoms.
• Bring your inhaler or medicines list to appointments.
• Report any change in breathing during a session straight away.

A careful approach in Lane Cove

If tension and stress are part of your picture, Christine can talk through options at the Lane Cove clinic once any breathing concerns have been checked medically. Bringing a letter or summary from your GP can make that discussion more useful.