I have been a patient of a physical therapy practice twice in the last 4 years, both time for muscle spasms and pain in my back. I have received two cycles of DN to treat these problems, in two different areas of my back. I have never received an accupuncture treatment.

I cannot emphasize enough how successful the treatments were for my health and pain relief. Although I was apprehensive about being punctured, the relief was immediate and long lasting. The sensation of the puncturing and releasing the spasms lasted for only a few seconds, and were not, in themselves, painful. However, the benefits have lasted until now, and I don't expect to have any future problems in the treatment areas.

The treatments were done by properly educated and certified staff members, one of whom received his certification after my first cycle of treatments in 2013. The practice and its staff are highly educated and professional in their patient care demeanor. They do not have un-certified staff members provide these treatments. to their patients. In the course of my treatments with the PTs, it has become very apparent to me that they specialize in the treating of all movement systems and in coordinating that knowledge to achieve the best treatment plan and actions for me. They know their stuff.........

While I have never had any accupuncture treatments, my understanding of it leads me to believe that accupuncture and DN are not the same treatment, despite what the non-medical layman might believe. While they may look alike in their mechanics, the clinical objectives and the actual methods are entirely different. DN specifically addresses muscle tissue irratability as part of an overall approach to resolving a specific health issue. 

It seems to me that the Board already has in place safety, education, and certification regulations in place for DN, separate from accupuncture, and there does not appear to me that there is any reasonable reason to consider further regulation of the 'allowed' providers. To remove the authority of performing DN from physical therapists seems to unnecessarily penalize the patient and prevents the patient from having a full choice of appropriate medical treatment from the educated and certified PT.

I presume that, if the Board changes the current regulations, that ALL accupuncturists will be required to go through the same education and certification process in order to provide DN services. Why would you allow the provision of the healthcare services to the citizens of the Commonwealth to suffer from poorer quality health care?

I also presume that the Board will not disallow a treatment that has been received by many patients over the years, successfully in those that I know who have received it.

I urge you to make no changes to the current regulatory structure - DN should stay in the capable hands of educated and certified professional Physical Therapists.

Thanks you for your consideration of these comments.