Having experienced both dry needling and acupuncture, I have had a  hard time figuring out why there is even a debate about this.  They are two very distinct treatment approaches.  One is based on research by Janet Travell, MD and the other is based on  ancient Chinese medicine  and then refined over the years. One, dry needling, is exclusively used to treat musculoskeletal problems in addressing very specific  One, dry needling, is exclusively used to treat musculoskeletal problems in addressing very specific triggerpoints that are palpated  in muscle.  The other one, acupuncture, uses completely different specialized techniques to address people general physical including in  internal problems, emotional status and  relaxation.   A dentist and an orthopedic surgeon both use very different types of drills to solve very different problems.  Just because a dentist uses a tool for his treatment doesn't make him or her threatened by the orthopedic surgeon using a drill to solve orthopedic problems. 

  I have 10 years of experience of palpating and finding myofascial trigger points in muscles.  I have trained and learn through getting my doctorate degree in therapy details of the cardiovascular system musculoskeletal system and neurological system.  I have been thoroughly trained and tested repeatedly  on research and evidence pertaining to dry needling as well as my manual performance on dry needling as well as any potential precautions  for safety.  I have readily used it for sometime now in my clinic for so many patients suffering from chronic pain in his help them regain their ability to function.  Many of these patients have been suffering for years and in the past have sought care from acupuncturist,  orthopedist, in pain management doctors.  They all have stated how very different dry needling is compared to acupuncture.  They have stated and I have experience myself the needles are placed in very different areas, they are manipulated very differently, the number of needles used are very different, the treatments have a very different feeling while they're being implemented  in the aftereffects are extremely different.   How and where the needles are placed are more analogous with trigger point injections than acupuncture treatment .   Pain management physicians instead are some of the biggest referral sources for trigger point dry needling,  as opposed to fighting to have therapist stop doing it.