6 Key Differences Between Chinese Reflexology, Acupressure and Acupuncture

Learn the key differences between reflexology and acupuncture from someone who’s studied
both so that you can choose the healing modality that’s best for you.
As a teacher of Chinese Reflexology, one of the questions that students often ask me is,
“What’s the difference between reflexology points and acupressure points?” or “What’s the
difference between acupuncture and reflexology?”
Since I’ve studied both acupuncture and reflexology, I can share a unique perspective with
you on the pros and cons of each of these healing modalities, and when it might be better to
choose one over the other.
But before I explain further, I wanted to mention that I studied the Traditional Chinese method of
reflexology, so you’ll gain a perspective on the differences between acupuncture
and Chinese Reflexology. 
By the way, if you’re curious, read about the difference between Western vs. Chinese
Reflexology here.
Ancient Chinese Roots
Acupuncture, acupressure and Chinese Reflexology are all based on Traditional Chinese
Medicine (TCM), an ancient healing philosophy that’s been around for over 2,000 years. 
The Chinese Medicine approach to health and vitality is based on the concept of strengthening
and harmonizing the body’s qi—your life force energy. Qi flows through your body via a
network of energy meridians. It’s similar to how blood flows through your arteries and veins,
only instead of blood, qi flows through energy channels.
When qi is flowing smoothly and abundantly, you experience good health. But if there’s a qi
disharmony—too much in one area, not enough in other areas, or a constriction in the flow of qi
—this can result in dis-ease. That’s because qi helps move the physical substances in the body
such as blood, air, lymph and food. 
When your qi is flowing as it should, your body is in a state of balance. However, when your qi
is disrupted, if it’s not brought back into balance, this disruption will eventually show up as dis-
ease in your physical body.
A good analogy is to compare the flow of qi to a river. When the river is flowing smoothly, then
the ecosystem is in balance. However, if the river is obstructed, sediment such as dirt, leaves,
twigs, etc. begins to accumulate.
If the block isn’t cleared away, then debris continues to build and constricts the flow of water,
leading to problems upstream and downstream. Similarly, when the body’s qi isn’t flowing
smoothly, toxins and waste start to accumulate. This energy block can lead to a physical blocks
that can cause pain or lead to abnormal growths.
And if there’s not enough water flowing through the river, the banks dry out, the riverbed
becomes exposed and the life teeming within the river dies off. Your body is the ecosystem that
needs the nourishment of the river.
If you think of Chinese Medicine as a tree trunk, then acupuncture would be one of the large
branches extending from the trunk, whereas Chinese Reflexology would be a small twig. 
Traditional Chinese Reflexology is not as well known as acupuncture even though it’s just as
powerful because it has the same roots. I have my theories on why this is so. I think it’s because
it’s all about feet! Lol! 
Foot massage appears so deceptively simple that no one gets accolades or prestige for being the
person who rubs other people’s feet. Chinese Reflexology is a simple healing art that’s
incredibly powerful because it’s based on Chinese Medicine theory.
You don’t need years of study to become proficient at practicing Chinese
Reflexology. Almost anyone can learn how to practice this ancient healing art. I was teaching
my son how to rub his feet when he was just five years old. That’s how simple it is. 
On the other hand, you need to study for years to learn acupuncture. Inserting needles to restore
balance requires a solid understanding of TCM principals and theory because the acupuncturist
must choose the best points when treating patients. 
There are literally hundreds of different acupuncture points located along the body’s
energy meridians, and each point has a very specific function. For example, some points are
used to strengthen qi in a meridian when it’s weak, while other points are used to sedate the
energy when it’s congested or blocked. In acupuncture, the practitioner must choose which
points to insert needles based on their assessment of their patient and the desired outcome. 
Acupressure is also based on the acupuncture points, but instead of using needles, pressure
is applied to a point. Needling is much more potent than pressing on an acupuncture point, but
with acupressure, you can massage your own points.
Chinese Reflexology is similar to acupressure in that there are points on your body that you can
stimulate to strengthen and harmonize your qi, but the potent points are located on your
feet. The theory is that the feet contain the master control points for harmonizing the flow of
energy throughout your body’s meridians. 
Difference #1: Ease in Choosing the Best Points
Acupuncture and acupressure involve stimulating points located along the body’s energy
meridians, and each of the points has a different purpose. As a result, the effectiveness of these
healing modalities is highly dependent on choosing the best points to stimulate. 
Because there are hundreds of different points and some have completely opposite effects, it’s
impossible to insert needles or press on every single acupuncture/acupressure point in one
treatment. 
An acupuncturist must discern which points to use, and this is especially important if a
patient has more than one underlying health condition—which is usually the case because
Chinese Medicine takes a holistic approach to healing. If one area of the body is showing signs
of disease, this is a sign of disharmony in one or more of the body’s organs and energy
meridians. 
The practitioner must decide which imbalance to address first because they can’t treat every
disharmony at the same time. Diagnosis involves examining the patient’s tongue and pulse, and
asking extremely detailed questions about the patient’s health, lifestyle and habits. 
Having spent hundreds of hours in acupuncture clinic, I’ve noticed that most patients are
unaccustomed to this type of questioning and will share what they feel is relevant from a
Western medical perspective. They’ll share in depth about the medications they’re taking, but
fail to mention they only have one bowel movement every other day, or they’ll have no idea
what shade of red their menstrual blood is. 
Oftentimes, the things that a Chinese Medicine practitioner seeks to learn may seem completely
inconsequential.  What time did you wake up last night? Do you like to lounge in bed in the
morning? Do you feel thirsty in the afternoon? Do you have cold feet?
While there are some acupuncture/acupressure points that can be used to address different
disharmonies at the same time, there isn’t usually just one “perfect point.” There’s also a limit on
how many points can be stimulated in one session. 
That’s why the acupuncturist needs to discern and make a judgment call about which disharmony
to treat first and which points to needle. Two different acupuncturists could have completely
different approaches and choose different points to stimulate on the same patient. 

I like Chinese Reflexology because it’s a lot simpler. Ironically, this is probably why it’s not as
popular as acupuncture! 
With Chinese Reflexology, it doesn’t matter what the underlying imbalances in the body are. As
long as you know the complete system of Traditional Chinese Reflexology—all 50-plus points
and how to massage them with a reflexology stick—you don’t need to choose which points to
massage because you can massage all of the reflexology points in a single session. 
So instead of having to figure out, “Does this need qi strengthening? Does this need energy
clearing?”, you massage all of the points  and your body knows what to do with the stimulation.
Essentially, you’re giving the body what it needs to restore balance and support it’s natural
healing powers. Having knowledge of Chinese Medicine lets you finetune your massage, but it’s
not a prerequisite for benefiting from Chinese Reflexology. 
Difference #2: How the Qi Flows
Both acupuncture and reflexology stimulate the flow of qi through your body’s energy
meridians and throughout the body. Good flowing energy is the key to good health.
But there’s another key difference between acupuncture and acupressure versus Chinese
Reflexology, and that’s how qi is directed through the body.
As I mentioned earlier, different acupuncture points have different uses. Some are intended to
tonify, while others are meant to sedate. Some have specific uses in relation to Chinese Medicine
theory such as “release the exterior”, raise the yang, draw yang powerfully from the head, or
increase overall qi flow. Some points are for specific organs while others are more general, but
all of the points are best used in tandem with principals of Traditional Chinese Medicine
diagnostics.
In order to treat chronic conditions effectively with acupuncture and acupressure points, a person
should have advanced knowledge of Chinese Medicine theory. For example, in California, a
Masters in Traditional Chinese Medicine is a four-year degree. Reputable schools of acupuncture
in the United States require at least two years of full-time study. The California program includes
a large component of studies in western medicine, which is why it’s a four-year program. There
are also very strict requirements in order to become a licensed acupuncturist in the U.S.
Interestingly, in China, one needs to study to become a western medical doctor in addition to
learning Traditional Chinese Medicine. While there’s quite a range of training, my main point
(bad pun intended) is that it takes time and commitment to be able to utilize acupuncture points
for maximum benefit. 
On the other hand, when it comes to Chinese Reflexology, the points on the feet are not as
specific and targeted as acupuncture and acupressure points. The stimulation of qi is more
general and not as specialized.
When you massage the point, your body knows what to do with the qi so the reflexology point
can help strengthen qi over time and it can also help clear energy constrictions, and do both
simultaneously. Regardless of whether an area of the body needs a qi boost or a qi clearing, you
simply massage its correlating reflexology point.
Difference #3: Self-Practice
Another key difference between acupuncture, acupressure and Chinese Reflexology is the ability
to practice on yourself. Aside from the years of training necessary, even acupuncturists can only
insert needles into certain acupuncture points on themselves. 
For example, there’s a really beneficial acupuncture point called Stomach-36 which is good for
boosting your overall immunity. When I was studying acupuncture, students would often put
needles into their Stomach-36 points themselves because the point was located on the side of the
lower leg. 
I’ve done this myself, but I have to say it takes a certain amount of steeliness to jab yourself
because you know exactly when the immediate sting of the needle will happen. But when you’re
getting acupuncture, it happens so quickly that you really don’t feel much, especially when you
don’t know when the needle is coming. But once the needle goes in, you can’t move your leg
until the needle is removed.
Fortunately, you don’t need to use needles to stimulate your own Stomach-36 point. This
acupressure point is easily accessible by reaching down just below your knee. On the other hand,
there are also really good points for digestion located on your back, but those points are difficult
to reach on yourself. While one could theoretically massage the back points, an acupuncturist
would most definitely not be able to stimulate these points on themselves using needles.
While acupressure massage is not as powerful as using a needle, it’s still very beneficial.
Because Stomach-36 is a really powerful point, massaging this point can be a part of your
general health and wellness routine. 
Chinese Reflexology is something you can definitely practice on yourself as long as you can
reach your feet. While you don’t need to have a complete understanding of TCM, it certainly
helps to know why you’re massaging points so that you can customize your reflexology routine.
This is something I teach in my Sole Mastery program, along with the complete system of 50-
plus reflexology points. When you massage all of the Chinese Reflexology points, this covers all
of the body’s major systems and energy meridians, so then your body simply takes what it needs
from your practice session. 
Difference #4: Application During Pregnancy or When Trying to Conceive
In many cases, the general qi-boosting and harmonizing effects of Chinese Reflexology are
preferable for their convenience and simplicity. However, because acupuncture points have
targeted applications, it would be better to see an acupuncturist if you’re pregnant or actively
trying to conceive. 
The reason why is because there are reflexology points on the feet that are close to acupuncture
points that are used to induce pregnancy. Without extensive knowledge of Chinese Medicine
theory and experience locating these points, it would be best to not practice Chinese Reflexology
if you’re pregnant or trying to conceive. 
In addition, because Chinese Reflexology helps get your overall qi flowing, this helps improve
blood circulation. However, the Chinese Medicine perspective is that too much circulation of qi
and blood during pregnancy can disturb the fetus. 
That’s why this is another important difference between acupuncture, acupressure and Chinese
Reflexology. I would not advise stimulating Chinese Reflexology or acupressure points on
yourself because it’s important to not send too much qi and blood flowing through the
reproductive system.
When you see a licensed acupuncturist, the practitioner can select points for their specific
benefits and avoid others that are contraindicated during pregnancy. 
Difference #5: Benefits for Pain and Soft Tissue Injuries 
Now I’ve been writing a lot about the benefits of Chinese Reflexology, but there’s one key
difference that allows acupuncture to really shine, and that’s in the application of needles for
pain and soft tissue injuries. 
While needles are generally inserted into acupuncture points, they can also be placed in
sore muscles to stimulate the flow of qi and blood and this assists with healing. Conditions
such as a sore back, sprained shoulder, headache, and tendonitis in the wrist would benefit from
the insertion of needles because of the increased circulation which supports healing.
The effect is often rather quick and gives patient immediate relief. This is referred to as “local
needle insertion” because the needles are inserted into a localized area to help with healing. This
technique is particularly effective for conditions caused by a physical injury, overuse or strain. 
There’s a TCM saying, when qi is flowing, there’s no pain. When qi is not flowing, there’s pain.
Acupuncture needles help move the qi, which helps to clear the pain. For localized soft tissue
injuries, acupuncture is vastly superior to Chinese Reflexology because the practitioner can
insert multiple needles into the injured tissue and surrounding area. It’s like applying a heat pad
to help healing, only at a level that is much deeper than the surface of the skin. 
While there are some Chinese Reflexology points for areas like the shoulders and spine,
massaging them doesn’t have as strong an effect as inserting multiple needles in the area. There
are also some parts of the body that don’t have corresponding reflexology points. This includes
the wrist, arms, legs, ankles, and ironically, the feet. 
Most of the Chinese Reflexology points are for the body’s primary organs, so there isn’t as
much support for the limbs or the back muscles. The traditional style of Chinese Reflexology
is also focused more on bringing the body back into balance over time, which often helps to
reduce a person’s propensity to get injured or experience pain. But in terms of immediate pain
relief and healing of injuries, I’d give two thumbs up to acupuncture. 
Difference #6: Identifying Energy Imbalances
The last major difference I’d like to address is the ability to use Chinese Reflexology to identify
qi imbalances in the body. When you know there’s an energy imbalance in the body, then you
can look at what you might be doing to cause the imbalance. E.g. eating certain foods, lifestyle,
habits.  
For example, if you’re not getting enough sleep, your Kidney point’s sensitivity will be much
higher than your baseline sensitivity. By feeling a person’s foot, I can even tell if they have back
problems or poor posture—right down to which vertebrae is affected!
Chinese Reflexology gives you a simple and powerful way to identify where qi is out of
balance in your body. It’s very easy to spot imbalances based on the sensitivity of the points on
your feet. If a point is sensitive or feels unusually hard or “crunchy,” then there’s an energy
imbalance in the corresponding area of the body.  
Because Chinese Reflexology can give you a clear picture of where imbalances exist, this lets
you know where to focus your energy (second bad pun intended) even if you don’t have any
physical symptoms. It’s much better and easier to catch things at the energy level and turn your
health around before the qi constrictions manifest as physical problems.
One of the most powerful testimonials I received about the benefit of Chinese Reflexology
as compared to acupuncture was from my acupuncture professor, Dr. Fu. When I had
finished writing my book, Sole Guidance, I asked Dr. Fu to review the manuscript to confirm
that my simplified descriptions of Chinese Medicine theory kept the true essence of the theory.
While she was reading the book, Dr. Fu tried some of the techniques on herself and saw a
measurable improvement in her allergies (based on laboratory tests).
When I met with Dr. Fu to get her feedback on my book, she declared, “Now I’m teaching my
patients to do your techniques at home and practice on themselves. Acupuncture is good, but
people can’t needle themselves. With Chinese Reflexology, you can do it anytime, anyplace. It’s
much easier, it’s economical, and it’s so convenient.”
Which Is Best for You?
Because Chinese Reflexology, acupuncture, and acupressure are all branches of
Traditional Chinese Medicine, they’re all very powerful healing modalities and can work in
harmony together to help you strengthen your body and improve your health. 
Acupuncture is fabulous for localized pain and injuries, or if you’re pregnant or trying to
conceive. It’s also beneficial to see a licensed  practitioner in person because they can assess you
from a Chinese Medicine perspective and use their knowledge and experience to select the best
points to stimulate with the acupuncture needles.
Acupressure is also beneficial for local pain and injuries. While pressing on points isn’t as strong
as using needles, this is something you can do yourself and add to your general “toolkit” for self-
care. 
Chinese Reflexology is a powerful modality for self-care and taking command of your
health. Practicing regularly helps support your body’s natural healing process to help with
chronic conditions and also maintain your health. It’s a powerful healing modality to identify qi
imbalances and bring them back into balance. 
To me, it’s not about one being better than the other as it can depend on the situation and the
individual. The important thing is to keep your qi flowing and look after yourself.
Take care of yourself because there’s only one you, and you’re special! 
Lots of Love and Light,
Holly