Background: Spinal epidural hematoma (SEH) is a rare pathology and could develop into quadriparesis/paraparesis. Prompt evacuation of the hematoma is generally regarded as first treatment for symptomatic SEH. Gua sha is a traditional Chinese medical treatment that releases unhealthy elements from injured areas and stimulates blood flow and healing. Methods: Case report and literature review. Findings: A 42-year-old female suffered from paraplegia after Gua sha. She had spinal epidural hematoma from the C4 level to the T2-3 level with spinal cord compression. She underwent emergency C4-T2 laminectomy and hematoma removal, and achieved full recovery on the 11th day after operation without obvious complication. Conclusions: Gua sha at the cervicothoracic and thoracolumbar regions should be done carefully. Sudden change in venous pressure may lead to epidural venous plexus rupture, and even spinal epidural hematoma. Emergency surgical decompression is widely accepted for symptomatic spinal epidural hematoma. With immediate and adequate decompression, even patients with paraplegia can have a good prognosis.