ASA Position on Dry Needling
The American Society of Acupuncturists (“ASA”) opposes the illegal and unsafe practice of acupuncture. “Dry needling” is a pseudonym for acupuncture that has been adopted by physical therapists, chiropractors, and other health providers who lack the legal ability to practice acupuncture within their scope of practice. This strategy allows these groups to skirt safety, testing, and
certification standards put into place for the practice of acupuncture. Dry Needling is a style of needling treatment within the
greater field of acupuncture. The practice of “acupuncture” includes any insertion of an acupuncture needle for a therapeutic
purpose. Acupuncture training has always included both traditional and modern medical understandings.
Anatomically, “trigger points” and “acupuncture points” are synonymous, and acupuncture has targeted trigger points for over 2,000 years. “Dry needling” is indistinguishable from acupuncture since it uses the same FDA-regulated medical device specifically defined as an “acupuncture needle,” treats the same anatomical points, and is intended to achieve the same therapeutic purposes as acupuncture.