What is the difference between acupuncture and massage

To put it simply, the core difference in the efficacy of the two is that the depth of action, targeting, and the level of problems solved are completely different. Acupuncture focuses on regulating the body's internal balance, while massage focuses on loosening the surface and relieving stress.

A while ago, I had an old customer who worked on the Internet. He came to have his shoulders and neck massaged once a week. He said that after each massage, he felt comfortable for two or three days, but when he turned around, his head became as stiff as a stone. In severe cases, half of his head was throbbing and painful. I suggested that he try acupuncture three times, and then he got acupuncture. At Fengchi, Tianzhu, and Jianjing acupuncture points, some warm moxibustion was added while retaining the needles. After the third treatment, he said that after staying up for two long nights, his neck was not as stiff as before. It has been almost two months now. At most, he is occasionally sore, and he has never had a headache again.

In fact, to put it bluntly, it is easy to understand. The force of massage penetrates from the skin downwards, mostly acting on the muscles and superficial fascia layer. Just like if your mobile phone is stuck for a long time, clearing the background cache will immediately smooth the massage. It can deal with temporary muscle tension, strain, acidity and sleepiness. The immediate comfort is extremely high, and it is also highly accepted by ordinary people. But if the problem has sunk down to the meridian level, or there is a problem with the movement of qi and blood itself, it is not enough to loosen the superficial muscles. At this time, the advantages of acupuncture are revealed. Filiform needles can directly and accurately act on acupuncture points, deep muscle knots or corresponding meridian points, mobilizing the body's own qi and blood regulation ability, which is equivalent to directly patching the system, solving the root problems that recur repeatedly.

Of course, there are no absolute boundaries in the industry now. Many massage masters have been working for 20 or 30 years. Their techniques are so thorough that they can directly press into the deep muscle nodes. For some old strain problems, techniques can achieve similar conditioning effects as acupuncture. Many clinical Chinese medicine practitioners also recommend combining the two. Doing superficial relaxation and internal adjustment at the same time will help you recover faster. There is no need to argue about who is better.

Normally, you don’t have to worry about your choice. If your legs are sore after climbing a mountain, your back is stiff after sitting on a plane for more than ten hours, and occasionally you have a stiff neck that hurts so much that you can’t move, then massage is completely sufficient, comfortable and effective. If you have pain in the same spot repeatedly for two or three months, with hard lumps to the touch, or if you still have internal symptoms such as numbness in the hands, dizziness, cold sensitivity, or aunt’s pain, then acupuncture will be much more efficient. Oh, by the way, if you faint from the needles, or if the skin is damaged or infected, there is no need to join in the excitement of acupuncture. It is also the same to find a masseur with good techniques and adjust it slowly.