The difference between acupuncture and massage to stimulate acupoints

The most essential difference between the two is that the stimulation levels, action paths and adaptation scenarios are completely different - acupuncture is an invasive, deep and precise stimulation that can directly act on meridians, deep nerves and disease points, and is more efficient in intervening organic lesions and old diseases.； Massage is a non-invasive superficial and mid-level diffuse stimulation, which is more focused on the relaxation of superficial muscles and fascia and the daily channelization of Qi and blood. It is suitable for mild conditioning and daily maintenance.

I have been working in the physical therapy industry for almost 12 years, and I use these two techniques interchangeably every day. Let me tell you something I just encountered last week: an aunt has had knee pain for three months, and she has to hold on to the handrail when going up and down stairs. She used to massage it almost ten times at a massage shop in the community. After each massage, it felt comfortable for two hours, but it still hurt the next day. I examined her and found that she had knee osteoarthritis and adhesions on the medial collateral ligament. The force of the massage could not penetrate the dense soft tissue around the knee and could not reach the deep adhesion points, so the natural effect was compromised. I inserted four needles into the inner knee, Xuehai, and Liangqiu. I applied the electric needle and left it in for 20 minutes. She was able to squat down most of the way when she got up. After three consecutive injections, she basically didn’t need support when she went downstairs.

Don’t think that massage is useless. I stayed up all night writing medical records a while ago, and my shoulders and neck were as stiff as frozen pork just taken out of the refrigerator. I didn’t want to inject myself with needles, so I dragged my colleague to perform massage on Fengchi, Jianjing, and Tianzong for 20 minutes. I grinned from the soreness during the massage. After the massage, my whole shoulder felt lighter by two ounces when I stood up. For muscle tension caused by daily fatigue, the comfort and convenience of massage are much better than acupuncture. You can't just give yourself a dozen acupuncture just for a stiff shoulder and neck. It's not a mistake.

Nowadays, the industry actually has different views on the difference between the two. Old-school traditional Chinese medicine meridian masters believe that the essence of both is "regulating qi", which is nothing more than a difference in intensity - just like watering flowers. Massage involves spraying the surface with a watering can and slowly seeping down to moisten the soil on the surface. Acupuncture uses water pipes to directly penetrate the roots. Watering deeply will produce quick results. The core purpose is to clear the blocked points of the meridians. There is no need to distinguish between superior and inferior. Colleagues who do modern rehabilitation prefer that the two action paths are completely different: acupuncture bypasses the superficial muscle fat, directly stimulates the deep muscle spindles and nerve receptors, and directly adjusts nerve signal conduction. In many cases, the place where the needle is inserted is not even the painful location. For example, if the Houxi point on the hand is used for stiff neck, it can also immediately relieve the pain of the neck. ； Massage, on the other hand, acts more on the superficial and middle layers of fascia and muscle fibers. It relies on physical kneading to release tense tissues. The pressed area is basically the location of pain. It has strong dispersion but limited accuracy. I have used it myself for so many years, and I feel that both opinions are reasonable. There is no need to argue about right or wrong. The method that can solve the patient's problem is a good method.

Let’s talk about the somatosensory difference that everyone is curious about. Many people are afraid of acupuncture and think that it will hurt when a sharp needle is inserted. In fact, it is not. As long as the technique is accurate and the needle is inserted quickly, you will basically only feel a slight itchiness when the skin is broken, and the subsequent feeling will be the soreness, numbness and swelling of "Deqi". If you are lucky, It also travels along the meridians, such as pressing the Hegu point. Many people will feel numbness running all the way to the fingertips and even to the elbows. This kind of meridian sensation is difficult to achieve with massage - even if you press the Hegu point with all your strength, it will at most be local soreness and swelling, which is difficult to reach half an arm away. The stimulation of massage is "softer", and the muscles around an acupuncture point will relax. It is really comfortable, but it is really not interesting to deal with deep-seated nodules and adhesions.

Oh, by the way, there is another common misunderstanding that needs to be mentioned. Many people think that the more painful the acupuncture points, the better the effect. They even ask the masseur to "press as hard as possible". This is really a big mistake. I have seen many people suffer shoulder and neck pain for three or four days after pressing, and it is difficult to raise their hands. In fact, the fascia has been slightly damaged by brute force, and the gain outweighs the loss. Whether it is acupuncture or massage, the appropriate amount of stimulation is the best. The more painful it is, the more effective it is.

Finally, to be honest, ordinary people's daily shoulder and back pain, bloating after eating too much, and inability to sleep can be relieved by finding a reliable masseur to massage them comfortably.； If you really encounter problems such as facial paralysis, post-herpetic neuralgia, or long-term joint pain, don't delay things by relying on massage. It is much more efficient to seek intervention from the acupuncture department of a regular hospital. Of course, no matter which one you choose, you must find a qualified operator. I have treated a young man who had a pneumothorax at a black clinic before, and I have also seen an elderly man whose cervical spine was dislocated after being pressed by a Yeluzi massage therapist. Safety is always the first priority.