Oppose the proposal to legislate Physical Therapists' practicing "drying needling"
Here are the reasons for my opposition to “dry needling” to be practiced by physical therapists:
Where were Physical Therapists when Acupuncture community started the legislative effort almost 40 years ago in the US? Physical Therapists started pursuing “dry needling” simply because they saw the benefit of acupuncture. That is, PTs’ are trying to imitate what’s being practiced by well-trained acupuncturists but do not want to give due credit to the acupuncture tradition of thousands of years.
PTs’ are proposing to legitimize the small subset of acupuncture practice and claim it something else. If the legislation is passed it will significantly reduce the benefit of patients for generations to come due to the limited scope PTs’ are advocating.
PTs’ are not able to practice the full scope of acupuncture for lack of sufficient education and training. If the PTs’ are allowed to practice dry needling, it will put the heath conditions of patients in jeopardy.
If this legislation is passed, the next step for PTs’ might propose practicing “dry injection” of substances. Guess what American Medical Association and practcing nurses would say?! MDs nurses should oppose this dry needling proposal too!
