There seems to be misunderstanding by many about what dry needling actually involves.  The only similarity between dry needling and acupuncture is the use of needles.  Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese practice that uses meridians in the body to restore the flow of energy, or qi.  There is a great body of research to support its use.  If it were not effective, it would not currently be used a few thousand  years after it was first developed.  As a physical therapist, I have referred several of my patients to acupuncturists over the years.

Dry needling has no basis in Chinese medicine.  It is more similar to the trigger point injections performed by Pain Management Specialists.  Rather than using medications, the therapist uses the mechanical effect of the needle entering the muscle to achieve the desired result.  There is a growing body of research to show the benefits of this technique on a certain group of patients.  Physical therapists have the skills and knowledge of human anatomy to perform this technique.  They usually have completed 7 years of school to earn their license and then must attend further training and skill checks before obtaining certification.  Any patient recieving dry needling from a physical therapist must have a physician referral.  This is a carefully screened group of patients that are appropriate for this technique.  Physical therapists could not perform dry needling on anyone "off the street."

I believe it is important to outline the requirements for a physical therapist to practice Dry Needling as is the intent of this proposal.  It is necessary to protect the general public and to hold the practice of physical therapy to the highest standards.