What are the differences and connections between acupuncture and massage?

Both belong to the traditional external treatment method of traditional Chinese medicine. The core is to regulate the balance of qi and blood based on the meridian theory. The differences are mainly concentrated in the action path, stimulation level and applicable boundary. In actual clinical practice, they are often used together to achieve the effect of 1+1>2.

The 20-year-old man who received the consultation last week had a stiff neck while using the air conditioner at night. When he came in, it was difficult to lift his right shoulder, and he could only turn his whole body to turn his head. I first used my thumb to massage the hard cord bulging out of his trapezius muscle, and I pressed it for five or six minutes. His shoulders were loosened a little, but it still hurt when he turned his head. At this time, I took the Houxi point and Stiff neck point on his hand, inserted them into the acupuncture points, and then asked him to turn his neck slowly for about two minutes. His eyes lit up and he said, "Hey, it doesn't hurt anymore?" ”, this small case can actually visually see the difference between the two. The force of massage first touches the intuitive soft tissues such as skin, fascia, and muscles. The hard knots and adhesions that you can touch are the priority targets of massage, which is equivalent to smoothing the "road" for the circulation of Qi and blood. It can immediately relieve the discomfort caused by superficial muscle strain and muscle tension. Acupuncture directly stimulates acupuncture points through filiform needles, mobilizing the qi in the meridians. The Houxi point just inserted is on the hand, and it is not at the same position as the neck of the stiff neck. This is because the Houxi point leads to the Du meridian, which coincides with the circulation of the meridians in the neck. Even if there is no local muscle tension, as long as the corresponding acupuncture points are accurately stimulated, it can have a regulatory effect. The "Deqi" feeling of soreness, numbness and swelling after being inserted is the core of the effectiveness of acupuncture.

Of course, there are differences in applicable scenarios between the two. For example, patients with coagulation disorders, or those with skin ulcers at the injection site, must give priority to massage, just avoid the ulcer site.； If you have just sprained your ankle and it is so swollen that you cannot even touch it, then it is appropriate to prick the distal acupoints to relieve pain and reduce swelling. If you press hard, it will aggravate internal bleeding.

There are a lot of related discussions in the industry now. Many masters who have been involved in massage for many years say that their fingers are deep enough and the effect of tapping acupuncture points is no worse than acupuncture. There are also acupuncturists who insist that the deep qi feeling that can be achieved by filiform needles cannot be penetrated by pressing with hands. In fact, both of these statements are reasonable. I have also met a massage teacher who has been in the industry for 30 years. He massaged Zusanli on a client with a weak spleen and stomach. The client said that the entire calf felt sore and distended. After returning, his appetite was indeed much better, which is almost the same as the effect of acupuncture. ； But for most ordinary practitioners, it is difficult for the strength of hands to penetrate into such deep levels, especially acupuncture points like Zhongwan and Guanyuan on the abdomen, where subcutaneous fat is thick, so hand massage can only affect the surface layer, so the effect of acupuncture is much more stable.

In fact, there is really no need to contrast the two. I usually use them together when conditioning patients. Last month, there was a girl who was doing design. Her cervical spine became straightened after sitting at her desk all year round. She had a migraine every week. When it was severe, she even felt nauseous. When she came for the first time, I used rolling and kneading methods to loosen her hair. The tense muscles of the upper back, shoulders and neck were used to push away the adhering fascia bit by bit. At this time, acupuncture points such as Fengchi, Baihui, and Hegu were pricked. The acupuncture was used to inject Qi very quickly. After leaving the acupuncture for 20 minutes, she said her head was no longer heavy. After following this plan five or six times, the frequency of headaches was significantly reduced. If you only give her a massage, she may feel relaxed at the time, but then tighten again after sitting in front of the computer all afternoon after get off work. If you only give her acupuncture, the problem of muscle tension will not be solved, and the effect will be compromised.

To put it bluntly, whether it is acupuncture needles or massage hands, they are all tools used to regulate Qi and blood. No one is more advanced than anyone else. It is good to use the right method in the right situation and solve the problem.