What are the differences and connections between acupuncture and massage?

Simply put, both belong to the external treatment system of traditional Chinese medicine, and their core logic is to dredge meridians and reconcile qi and blood. The differences are mainly reflected in the path of action, adaptation scenarios, and operation thresholds. They are often used together in clinical practice to improve the effect.

Last week, a young man with a stiff neck came to the gym. His neck was tilted at 45 degrees and he didn't dare to move. I pressed his shoulder wells and upper trapezius muscles for ten minutes. When the hard knots were kneaded, he hissed and gasped. After the massage, most of the muscles were loosened, but the back of his neck still hurt when he turned his head. Finally, I inserted a needle into the Houxi point on his hand, and after gently twisting it for half a minute, he was able to turn his neck left and right on the spot, and said that the pulling pain disappeared immediately.

You see, this is the most intuitive difference between the two. Most of the massage force is applied to superficial tissues such as muscles and fascia. If you have sore shoulders after sitting for a long time or swollen legs after shopping, kneading them will loosen the tense muscle fibers and push away the partially blocked Qi and blood. You will soon feel comfortable without breaking the skin, and the acceptance level is also high. You can just massage your shoulders at home according to the video, which is considered a basic massage. Acupuncture relies on filiform needles to penetrate the skin, which can penetrate deep into the muscles and even the meridian nodes corresponding to the organs. It mobilizes the qi and blood of the entire meridians, not just rubbing out local blockages. For problems such as chronic waist and leg pain, dysmenorrhea, and facial paralysis that are closely related to the organs and the entire meridians, the speed and depth of effect of acupuncture are much stronger than massage. Nowadays, many people think that deeper massages such as deep fascial release and American chiropractic can replace acupuncture. Academic studies have also confirmed that the analgesic principles of both include stimulating the release of endorphins in the body. The underlying logic is similar. However, most in the industry still believe that the paths of action of the two are quite different. There is no need to compare them hard. It is more important to find the right adaptation scenario.

Although the operation of pinching and pricking looks completely different, the two are fundamentally from the same origin. They both use the theory of meridian and viscera in traditional Chinese medicine. In many cases, the same point is stimulated, but one is pressed hard with hands and the other is stimulated with needles. We usually treat patients with chronic shoulder and neck pain. We basically prick acupuncture points such as Neck Jiaji and Fengchi for 20 minutes to open up the deep blocked meridians. After acupuncture is applied, we press for ten minutes to relax the tense muscles on the surface. When the client wakes up, they will not feel the slight soreness after pure acupuncture, nor will they go back to stiffness after sleeping like pure massage. The combined effect is at least doubled.

By the way, the operating thresholds of the two are not even close. You can get started with ordinary relaxing massage in three to five months. As long as the intensity is appropriate, there will be basically no problems. However, acupuncture must be performed by a qualified doctor. After all, it requires breaking the skin, and there are risks in pricking the nerves and organs in the wrong place. Don't go to a small place without qualifications. If you are just tired and want to relax, finding a reliable massage parlor is enough. If the pain has not improved for ten days and a half, or if you have a need for conditioning related to the organs, it is right to go to the acupuncture department of a regular hospital first.