What are the differences between the effects of acupuncture and massage

The core difference is actually the difference between the depth of action and the path of onset of effect. Generally speaking, acupuncture is deviant and massage is deviant. However, the specific effect should also be judged based on the operator's technical level and actual symptoms. There is no absolute distinction between superior and inferior.

I have been working in a community physical therapy center for almost 8 years, and I have encountered more related cases than I can count. Last month, a young man fell while running a half-marathon. His ankle was sprained and swollen like a steamed bun. X-rays showed no fracture but soft tissue contusion and deep effusion. He rubbed it at home for three days and the swelling became more and more swollen. When he came, he had to tiptoe when he walked. We gave him three local needles and moxibustion. Most of the swelling disappeared on the second day, and he could walk normally on the third day. Why is it useless for him to rub it himself? Because his effusion is deep in the fascia, the force of massage cannot penetrate it, but will cause more leakage from the damaged soft tissue. Acupuncture needles can directly act on the injured site, stimulating local circulation and accelerating the absorption of effusion. This is the advantage of acupuncture in deep-seated problems.

Of course, it does not mean that massage can only deal with superficial problems. Recently, there was a girl in the third grade of junior high school. She stayed up late every day to review because of the pressure. She always felt chest tightness and breathlessness. She went to the hospital to check that her heart and lungs were normal. She was afraid of needles and refused to stick. There are many doctors in the industry who hold different views. They believe that as long as the techniques are precise enough, deep fascial relaxation and acupoint massage can achieve almost the same effect as acupuncture. I followed the master to learn the meridian acupuncture method to deal with mild muscle knots and chronic qi stagnation problems. Indeed, sometimes the effect is no worse than acupuncture, but the requirements for the operator are too high. They must be able to accurately touch the muscle knots of a few millimeters, and the force must be just right to penetrate that position. It is almost useless, and the error tolerance rate is far less than acupuncture.

To give an inappropriate analogy, the two are like unblocking a clogged sewer pipe: Massage involves slowly rubbing the outer wall of the pipe to slowly remove the soft dirt attached to the pipe wall. The process is comfortable and suitable for shallow blockages that are soft and dirty; acupuncture directly extends the pipe into the pipe to accurately remove deep blockages. It works quickly and is suitable for deep blockages and stubborn problems.

There are now studies that have confirmed that the two effective pathways actually have a lot of overlap. Both can regulate nerves and endocrine through stimulating receptors. Therefore, many people feel that pressing the right acupoint sometimes feels the same as pricking the acupuncture. This situation is also very common. You don’t have to worry about the choice. If you are just tired, stiff, or have tight muscles, just choose massage. It is more comfortable and can relax your mood. If the pain is deep, there is numbness and pain, or it recurs not long after the massage, then you can try acupuncture. The effect will be faster.