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Is Acupressure or Acupuncture the Better Choice?

These are natural methods of treatment offered to aid with someone’s health instead of using medication. Acupressure entails the activation of the body’s self-healing process to remedy illness and alleviate pain. It works through the stimulation of specific meridians. This is made possible by the distinct interconnection of the varying pathways relating to the bodily organs. Acupuncture involves puncturing the skin using tiny, thin needles that are metallic and quite flexible.

The needles are pushed and placed below the skin or tissue. The acupuncturist guarantees that the procedure will be relatively pain-free. The needle is inserted so that it can comfortably reach the pressure point and consequently unblocking and helping the Qi to move devoid of any straining.

Young woman undergoing acupuncture treatment
Acupressure and acupuncture have been passed as effective but how do they compare and which one is better? This article gives the distinctions between acupressure and acupuncture.

Demystifying the Myth

There has been a very long and protracted discussion centered around this topic. This includes several assumptions, myths, and blurry situations that have not yet been elucidated. An example is that acupuncture is better than acupressure because it offers a much stronger or potent stimulation at the time of treatment. Several commentators have mentioned that acupuncture could be perceived as the perfect choice amongst the two because of its overall physiological advantages. It has decent communication with the nervous system due to its phenomenal combinations, which work well for all the organs in the body culminating into excellent results. It is therefore considered more fitting for chronic conditions that require higher levels of stimulation. However, it is also possible to use some pressure and essential oils in acupressure a few times a day hence eventually rendering it just as helpful.

Are the Benefits of Acupuncture Superior to Those of Acupressure?

Acupressure has several benefits such as muscle and joint relaxation, which helps in the relief of tension and anxiety. It helps to improve sleep, reduce headaches, and most importantly ease or lessen chronic pain. This is coupled with the improvement of the immune system and this translates to a better capability to heal itself. On the other hand, acupuncture is great as a licensed professional does it based on proper diagnosis, meaning better treatment. It is fitting in the remedying of stress, depression, asthma, infertility, muscular issues, and osteoarthritis. However, it is costly and time-consuming. It is also hard to find a licensed acupuncturist. For comparative analysis, acupressure can be performed anywhere and it is very cheap. It has a disadvantage in that you must put much more effort into the learning of the theory about the acupressure methods and suitable points. Acupressure can be readily applied to oneself whereas acupuncture necessitates the involvement of a well-qualified practitioner. Any person who has gone through the requisite handbook can comfortably perform acupressure but this is not the case with acupuncture, which requires more prowess and knowhow. Both have their pros and cons hence it is hard to specify which one supersedes the other.

Which is More Effective?

The effectiveness is mostly dependent on the specific practitioner. They are both different options but they are quite good based on the varying needs of the people. Some experts have asserted that the use of needles in acupuncture is quite vital in the release of the blockages from the crucial points along the qi flow lines. However, they have cited that the effect of massage in acupressure for the same unblocking is not as effective as it lacks in penetration and precision.

To shed some more light on this, acupressure is deemed effective when the stress exerted in acupuncture might be quite overwhelming. This is most apparent in young children and aging people who prefer the massage in acupressure rather than the use of needles. The better and most preferred choice is predicated on the patient and how he or she uniquely responds to acupressure or acupuncture.

Traditionally, the differentiation was very difficult. This has changed with time and it is now clear that what can be treated with one cannot be necessarily treated with the other. Many therapists or practitioners, therefore, insist that they can also be used simultaneously to cover all the issues that you might have.

In a nutshell, acupressure and acupuncture are both holistic approaches. This article has depicted that it is very hard to give a definitive answer to this question. Both are ideal choices based on specific circumstances. Acupuncture is good when there is a proper diagnosis from a doctor or an alarming health concern such as chronic issues whereas acupressure is chosen as a self-healing technique that can be used for minor sicknesses.