The difference between acupuncture and massage

The core difference between acupuncture and massage is essentially not the simple superposition of the effects of the two physical therapy methods, but the action path, onset logic, adaptation scenarios, and risk boundaries are completely different from using either therapy alone—it is neither the universal combination of "1+1>2" reported online, nor is it completely incompatible as some schools say. The specific effects all depend on the combination logic and individual circumstances.

Let me tell you a true story that I encountered at a community free clinic last year. Aunt Zhang, 52, stretched her shoulders while dancing in the square. The pain lasted for three days and she could not lift her arms. The superficial trapezius muscle felt as hard as slate, and there were obvious tenderness points in the deep supraspinatus muscle. At that time, the acupuncturist in the team first gave her three shoulder acupuncture needles and added Hegu. During the acupuncture, she said that her arm could be raised to shoulder height. She originally thought that after the acupuncture, she could go home and apply hot compress. The volunteer next to her was a young man doing massage. He enthusiastically said, "I will massage the aunt twice to loosen it faster." This is the typical result of not understanding the difference between using the two in parallel and using them alone, and making up a random combination.

When acupuncture is used alone, its effect is to go deeper. The needle tip can penetrate into the muscle layer, fascial layer and even the adhesion points in the bone seams. The needle sense mobilizes Qi and blood to break open the blocked areas, like unblocking a blocked water pipe. Even if it is a deep-seated old muscle knot, or Qi and blood problems related to the organs, such as when Sanyinjiao is used for dysmenorrhea, the needle sense can be directly transmitted to the lower abdomen. This is an effect that is difficult to achieve with massage. For massage alone, most of the force is applied to the superficial and middle muscles and fascia. Kneading, rolling, and pushing techniques are used to loosen the tense muscle fibers, such as rusting the outer walls of water pipes, stiff shoulders and necks from sitting for a long time, and sore muscles after exercise. Most of them will be relaxed immediately after the massage. The experience is much better than acupuncture. Both of them are fine when used individually, but putting them together is a completely different story.

The two teachers I have followed before have completely opposite approaches on this issue. Teacher Li, who does internal acupuncture, is particularly opposed to massage after acupuncture. He often said, "Acupuncture is used to guide qi and return to menstruation. You have just directed qi and blood to the organs or lesions that need to be replenished. Once you press the needle, the whole body will be replenished." It is scattered all over the limbs and bones, which is equivalent to pouring out all the freshly boiled water, and all the work is in vain." When he met chronic patients who regulate qi, blood, and spleen and stomach, after the acupuncture, he specifically asked not to get a massage that day, and not even soak the feet for too long, for fear that the qi would disperse and affect the effect. But Mr. Wang, who works in the Department of Traumatology, is exactly the opposite. He treats muscle and bone problems such as acute lumbar sprains, stiff necks, and rotator cuff injuries. He basically uses acupuncture and massage in parallel. After inserting the needle, he immediately starts to apply pressure. What he says is, "Acupuncture is to pry loose the blocked knots, and massage is to push the broken garbage out along the meridians." Go, otherwise the garbage will still be blocked just by prying it loose, and it will grow back in two days." I personally saw him piercing Weizhong and Shenshu for a patient with lumbar protrusion pain that was so painful that he could not stand up, and rolled and massaged along the triceps muscles for 15 minutes. The patient was able to walk on the wall by himself on the spot, and the effect was indeed much faster than acupuncture alone.

Both views are actually correct, but the core is that the applicable scenarios are different. If you are dealing with acute muscle and bone pain, where the superficial muscles are severely tense and there are adhesions in the deep layers, the effect of acupuncture in parallel will definitely be better than using it alone, but the order is very important. You must first loosen the superficial muscles and then prick the deep nodules. Otherwise, the surface layer will be as hard as a slate and it will be difficult for the needle to penetrate. If the needle sensation cannot be transmitted, it means that the needle is in vain. ； If you want to regulate chronic Qi and blood deficiency or endocrine problems, such as long-term insomnia, weak spleen and stomach, and dysmenorrhea, and want to regulate your body constitution, then don’t do massage after the acupuncture. Acupuncture is supposed to help you gather Qi and blood to the areas that need to be replenished, but if you press it and it will disperse completely, it will have no replenishing effect.

Oh, by the way, the risk of using the two in parallel is much higher than using them alone. As long as the acupuncture is properly disinfected, the needle will only cause a little blood from a small blood vessel. Just press it for two minutes and it will be fine. ； As long as the intensity of the massage alone is appropriate, the muscles will be a little sore and swollen the next day at most, but it will be fine after a couple of days. But when the two are used together, the amount of stimulation will be doubled. For example, people with low platelets and poor coagulation function will have tiny bleeding spots under the skin after the needle is inserted. If they are pressed and rubbed, they will easily develop large areas of ecchymosis, which will not disappear for a long time. ； In addition, the lumbosacral area and abdomen of pregnant women are contraindicated by pricking or pressing alone. If the two are used together, the stimulation amount will be too great and it is easy to cause danger.

People who often go to health stores may have the impression that in order to sell packages, many stores now promote "acupuncture + massage for double relaxation". They will give you a dozen or so needles at first, and add electroacupuncture to make the muscles shake for a long time. After the needles are applied, they will massage you vigorously for an hour. It is called "deep unblocking". In fact, many people are in pain for several days after the treatment. They just ignore the logic of the two in parallel and just make up the combination to make a profit.

In fact, the core difference between acupuncture and massage is not which of the two methods is better or worse, but whether the person using it knows how to mix them together. Just like whether coffee with milk tastes good or not, it all depends on the proportion and your own taste. There is no absolute standard answer, and the one that suits you is the right one.