Ever underestimate a simple tool? Sometimes what looks like folk medicine turns out to hold profound clinical value.

In this Shop Talk, we get into gua sha with Carly Herrero, an acupuncturist and massage therapist from Maine who’s made this deceptively simple technique a cornerstone of her clinical work.

Listen into this conversation as we explore how gua sha acts like a “controlled burn”—creating local inflammation to reduce systemic inflammation—why it’s effective for colds, flus, and lingering coughs, and how to match technique and dosage to the patient’s constitution. Carly shares practical insight on treatment locations, using gua sha at home, and what to look for when teaching patients to use it safely.

Her reminder is both humble and powerful: effective medicine doesn’t have to be complicated. Sometimes the simplest methods—used with care, attention, and the right touch—make the biggest difference