The difference and connection between the effects of acupuncture and massage

Both of them belong to the external treatment system of traditional Chinese medicine. The core logic is to regulate the circulation of qi and blood and balance yin and yang by stimulating the body's meridians and acupoints, and ultimately achieve the purpose of preventing and treating diseases. The core difference in efficacy lies in the different levels of action and adaptation scenarios - acupuncture has stronger penetration and can It acts on deep tissues and even regulates visceral functions. It is better at dealing with intractable pain and miscellaneous internal diseases. Its massage effect is more focused on superficial muscles and fascia. It is more suitable for daily relaxation, muscle strain recovery and people who are intolerant to acupuncture. There is no absolute advantage or disadvantage between the two, and they are often used together in clinical practice.

When I was helping in a community physical therapy department two years ago, I met a 26-year-old programmer. He stayed up late the night before to change code and slept on the sofa for half the night. When he woke up in the morning, his neck was crooked to 90 degrees, and it hurt even to drink water. When he first arrived, the doctor gave him 10 minutes of light massage to soften his trapezius muscles, which were as tight as stones. At that time, he could turn his neck slightly, but when the deep spasm hit, he still gritted his teeth in pain. Then the doctor inserted a half-inch needle into the Houxi point on his hand, twisted it until he was angry, and asked him to slowly turn his neck. It only took half a minute. His eyes lit up and he said, "Huh? It doesn't hurt anymore?" It sounds like a metaphor. Massage is like smoothing out the surface of a twisted rope, while acupuncture is directly inserted into the core of the knot that is the most tightly knotted, and it becomes loose in an instant.

Interestingly, different schools actually have quite different understandings of the functional boundaries between the two. Most doctors of the traditional acupuncture school believe that the amount of stimulation that acupuncture breaks through the skin into the body cannot be compared with massage, especially for problems related to visceral function such as chronic gastritis and primary dysmenorrhea. Acupuncture at acupuncture points such as Zhongwan and Sanyinjiao can directly regulate the corresponding viscera and qi mechanisms, and the effect is much faster than massaging the belly for half a day. But Master Zhang, who has been doing bone-setting massage for more than 20 years, disagrees with this statement. He said that as long as the technique is accurate enough and the penetration is deep enough, it can still stimulate deep acupuncture points through the skin and fascia, and even adjust joint dislocations. "Last time, a patient with lumbar protrusion was so painful that he couldn't even walk. After three days of acupuncture, he was able to move. I straightened the bone once, and he was able to walk downstairs by himself." There is actually nothing wrong with this. I have indeed seen many people who have been doing deep fascia relaxation all year round. They say that the sense of transparency after relaxation is not much different from the feeling after acupuncture to gain qi.

To put it another way, if you usually work overtime until your shoulders and neck feel stiff and your head feels dizzy, your first reaction is most likely to go to a massage parlor for an hour. Very few people go directly to the acupuncture department to get acupuncture, right? It’s not that acupuncture is not effective. The main reason is that the massage does not require breaking the skin, and the soreness and swelling are within a comfortable range. After the massage, I feel that the stone on my shoulders is gone. The acceptance level is already high. And for the elderly, children, or people who are dizzy from needles, they cannot handle needles themselves, so massage is the best solution. For example, if a child has a poor spleen and stomach and doesn’t like to eat, he will probably cry until he bursts into tears if you give him a three-mile injection. Chiropractic massage is much gentler, and the effect is not bad at all if you insist on it for half a month.

In fact, nowadays, whether it is the physical therapy department of the hospital or the health center outside, it is rare that they only do the same thing. I had a lumbar muscle strain a while ago. When I went for physical therapy, I first relaxed the tense muscles on both sides of my waist for 20 minutes, then pricked Shenshu and Weizhong acupuncture points, and finally roasted for 10 minutes. It was two full days faster than the last time I did acupuncture alone. Essentially, the underlying logic of the two is the same. They both find the corresponding meridian and acupuncture points to stimulate, helping the body to open up the blocked areas and make up for the deficient areas. To put it bluntly, it is "different paths to the same destination".

Of course, I have to be honest. Both have their own taboos and cannot be used blindly. For example, people with damaged skin or bleeding disorders should not get acupuncture. Pregnant women should not touch acupuncture points such as Hegu and Sanyinjiao. People with acute sprains should not apply heavy pressure within 24 hours, otherwise it will aggravate internal bleeding and make the swelling worse. Don’t believe the claims that “acupuncture cures all diseases” or “massage is safer than acupuncture”. No matter which one you choose, you must find a regular and qualified person to perform it. Otherwise, if you prick the wrong acupuncture point or damage the cervical spine, the gain will outweigh the loss.

In the final analysis, whether it is acupuncture or massage, there is never a saying that one is more advanced than the other. It is just different stimulation methods and depths. The bottom layer is to adjust along the meridians of the human body. The one that suits you is the best. If you can use them together, you can often get the effect of 1+1>2. Isn’t this the wisdom of our ancestors?