Unit 5 Text A Acupuncture VS Massage
Acupuncture and massage are two well-known traditional Chinese medical practices that provide relief for the body’s pain and aches.
What is acupuncture?
Acupuncture refers to the technique of relieving pain and nausea through penetrating one’s skin at particular acupressure points by means of thin needles. It is performed to stimulate specific parts of your body.
Acupuncture is also known as the oldest healing practice in Asia. It is said to regulate your chi all over your body. Qi (chi) refers to the life energy or the flow of energy inside every living being. Placing fine needles into the skin at the points and stimulating them with heat or electricity is thought to improve the flow of this energy, boosting overall physical and mental health.
How does it helps?
• Side effects treatment. Acupuncture is highly suggested for side effects of chemotherapy, sprained ankles, post operation, dental pain and migraines as well as tension headaches.
• Helps in treating certain illnesses. Based on World Health Organization, acupuncture can treat more than 100 illnesses including respiratory, gastrointestinal, neurological, reproductive and mental-emotional illnesses.
What about massage?
Therapeutic massage pertains to the manual kneading and manipulation of connective tissue and muscle which helps in reducing pain and tension. It requires motion and pressure to certain body parts in order to be effective.
Traditional Chinese Medicine massage therapists use their elbows, fingers, and hands to stimulate acupuncture points, producing a vibration that influences the flow of energy through the body. Since the energy points correspond to our organs, a quality Chinese massage session positively affects our physical well-being.
Massage techniques, which include kneading, chopping, rubbing, or pressing against the skin, are all meant to help balance and unblock the body’s channels so that Qi can flow naturally.
Benefits of massage
• Helps in muscular injuries. Although muscular pain tends to be not as painful as nerve injuries, however, it lasts longer. With the help of massage, your muscles and nervous system emit endorphins, which aid in making your muscles less painful and better than before.
• Helps in muscle pain and blood circulation. Massage also aids individuals with tight muscles on their body, resulting in shoulder and neck pain. Through releasing tension on these muscles, massage could make anyone feel relieved. Furthermore, it can boost your immunity, regulate your blood pressure, enhance blood circulation, and reduce discomfort.
• Helps to improve your sleep. A good massage with a therapist, a massage chair or manual massage tools provides a great way to relax after all the sitting we do these days at work and at home. It is good to know that massage for babies can provide good results on their sleep, cries and stress level during the day.
Acupuncture and massage therapy share many similarities. Both of these holistic treatment options promote circulation, reduce inflammation, and offer natural pain relief. But acupuncture and massage therapy are two separate treatment strategies, even if they are used for many of the same reasons.
Massage or acupuncture: which one is better?
If you’re struggling with pain or a chronic health condition and you’re looking for an alternative treatment method to help you cope, you may be wondering which is better, massage or acupuncture? The truth is, neither of these treatments is better than the other. Both acupuncture and massage can help improve your symptoms — it just depends on the nature of those symptoms.
Can you get acupuncture and massage together during the same session?
Yes, you can get acupuncture and massage therapy during a single session. But whether you require both of these treatments at the same time depends on your body’s unique needs. Sports injuries and repetitive stress injuries are often treated with a combination of massage and acupuncture. Your practitioner may soften up your muscles with massage to reduce tension before acupuncture. Conversely, they may decide to insert a few dry needles before performing a massage to increase circulation and alleviate stress in a given area.
