{"id":63214,"date":"2017-02-13T04:20:10","date_gmt":"2017-02-13T12:20:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/heelthatpain.com\/?p=63214"},"modified":"2020-11-06T06:59:02","modified_gmt":"2020-11-06T14:59:02","slug":"acupressure-vs-acupuncture-heel-pain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/heelthatpain.com\/acupressure-vs-acupuncture-heel-pain\/","title":{"rendered":"Acupressure vs. Acupuncture for Heel Pain"},"content":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”3.22″][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” _builder_version=”4.6.0″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” hover_enabled=”0″ use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” sticky_enabled=”0″]\"AcupressureAcupressure versus acupuncture–what\u2019s the difference, how does each one work, and which one is more effective for plantar fasciitis?<\/p>\n

These two words sound alike for a reason. Both are rooted in the prefix \u201cAcu,\u201d which means targeted. And both pinpoint heel pain caused by plantar fasciitis. Acupressure–as you have probably guessed–combats heel pain through targeted pressure to different areas of the heel, while acupuncture treats heel pain through special needles that barely puncture the skin.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what you need to know about acupuncture and acupressure for heel pain:<\/p>\n

How Does Acupuncture Help Heel Pain?<\/h2>\n

In acupuncture, very tiny needles are quickly inserted shallowly. It\u2019s unclear exactly how this works to reduce pain, but researchers believe that the needle insertion stimulates blood flow and hormones to the affected area, drastically reducing pain. Several studies have shown acupuncture to be an effective method of temporarily reducing the symptoms of heel pain and plantar fasciitis. For example, this study by Dr. Tillu and Dr. Gupta<\/a> showed that pain was significantly improved after 4 and 6 weeks of acupuncture treatment.<\/p>\n

How Does Acupressure Help Heel Pain?<\/h2>\n\"Acupressure\n

Acupressure works through applying pressure to \u201chot spots\u201d of the heel and arch that have been negatively affected by plantar fasciitis. This accomplishes two things: first, the pressure to these targeted areas numbs the body\u2019s pain response. Second, constant, targeted pressure through special orthotic inserts that incorporate Fascia-Bar technology<\/a> lifts the arch so that heel spurs no longer dig into the fatty pad of the heel (a primary cause of pain from plantar fasciitis.)<\/p>\n

Benefits and Drawbacks of Acupuncture for Plantar Fasciitis<\/h2>\n\"Acupuncture\n

Most of the potential drawbacks to acupuncture for heel pain involve overcoming the perception that acupuncture is painful. While this treatment method does involve needles, it really doesn\u2019t hurt! The other potential downside of acupuncture is that it only treats symptoms–not the cause–of plantar fasciitis. To eliminate symptoms for good, it\u2019s necessary to treat the damage to the plantar fascia.<\/p>\n