Dear Board of Physical Therapy,

I am a licensed acupuncturist and object to the intent to draft "dry needling" regulations.

Dry needling is an modern version of a "stone age" acupuncture invented at least 4,000 years ago. Dry needling is a local acupuncture, where needles are placed on or near the areas of injury. Acupuncture has evolved over time to do both local and distal needling. Just because Asian theoretical words such as qi, yin, yang, and meridians are removed by dry needlers does not become a different practice. My view of dry needling is like saying that Christopher Columbus or his cohorts had discovered the Americas although this is not true. Dry needling is an attempt to hijack acupuncture and calling it their own. It requires around 1,000 hours of acupuncture studies to be competent and safe for the public. Allowing dry needlers to study 57 hours is an invite to a whole field of acupuncture without getting a proper introduction. This is a spit in the face to the whole medical profession. Who is going to regulate physical therapists from practicing distal needling also? Even MDs require 300 hours of acupuncture study. 

Sincerely,

David Lee

805-497-6200