Is there any difference between the effects of acupuncture and massage?

The core difference actually lies in the level of action, logic of action and adaptation symptoms. There is no distinction between high and low, but the applicable scenarios are completely different.

I met a young man who works on the Internet a while ago. When he suffered from stiff neck, his neck was so crooked that it was close to his shoulders. I pressed his shoulders and neck for 20 minutes. After he was relaxed, he could turn a small half circle and happily said that he was fine. However, the stiffness came back the next day, saying that he had returned to the same state after sleeping for a night. Later, the Houxi and Stochastic acupuncture points were inserted on him. During the acupuncture, he was sore and swollen that he hissed and sucked in cold air. After the acupuncture was applied, his neck could turn a full circle on the spot, and there was no recurrence after that.

It’s not that massage is inferior. If your legs are sore after climbing a mountain and your shoulders and neck are stiff after sitting in the office for a day, half an hour of massage can relieve most of the tension. The immediate comfort of massage is much better than acupuncture for superficial muscle tension that has just appeared. After all, acupuncture will cause some soreness and swelling. Many people are naturally afraid of needles and cannot afford to suffer.

Speaking of which, the working logic of the two is different. Massage relies on external force to directly act on the soft tissue. Just like if there are shallow wrinkles in clothes, you can smooth them out with just a few strokes with your hands. The effect is quick. However, if the wrinkles are tight knots twisted out of the fabric, it will be easy to repeat if the hands cannot reach them. Acupuncture uses filiform needles to insert into the corresponding acupuncture points, mobilizing the body's own qi and blood to move towards the lesion. It is equivalent to reaching into your clothes and slowly pulling apart the tight knot. The immediate sense of relaxation may not be that strong, but the effect can penetrate deeper. Whether it is deep-seated tendon inflammation, old injuries and blockages, or problems related to qi and blood such as insomnia, dysmenorrhea, and chronic stomach pain, it can all be covered.

Of course, there are many different voices in the industry now. Many senior massage therapists do not agree with the statement that "massage only cares about the superficial layer." I used to know a senior massage therapist who has been doing it for more than 30 years. His hands are so strong that he can touch the deep fascial nodules. There is a patient who has suffered from chronic low back pain for more than half a year. After almost half a month of acupuncture, the condition was not cured. The master adjusted the deep sacroiliac fascia three times and it was relieved by 70 to 80%, so there is no need to draw too sharp a line between the two.

Ordinary people don’t need to worry too much when choosing a massage. If you have new, mild soreness and tightness, just choose massage first.； If the problem is repeated, the pain is deep, or you have minor problems related to the organs, it is right to try acupuncture first. If you are really afraid of needles, finding an experienced massage master can solve the problem.