'Dry needling is a procedural intervention used by physical therapists (PT) to treat pain, functional impairments, and disabilities. The technique involves the insertion of solid filament needles into the skin and underlying tissue to disrupt pain sensory pathways and relax contracted fibers (Dommerholt, & Fernández-de-las-Peñas, 2013). Clinical research suggests that dry needling helps reduce local and peripheral pain and sensitization, thereby hastening the restoration of muscle function and range of motion (Lewit, 1979; Dommerholt, 2011; Clewley, Flynn, & Koppenhaver, 2014). Dry needling (alone or with other physical therapy interventions) has been shown to be an effective treatment for neuromusculoskeletal diseases or conditions, including arthritis, tendonitis, carpal tunnel, and chronic pain (Dommerholt, 2004; Kalichman, & Vulfsons, 2010).

The theoretical genesis of dry needling is attributed to the pioneering work of Janet Travell, M.D. and David Simons, M.D. (Simons, Travell, & Simons, 1999) who used .22-gauge hypodermic needles to treat myofascial pain with trigger point therapy (i.e., needling of taut bands of muscle fibers). Over the past several decades, practitioners have adopted variations on the original approach including superficial and deep needling techniques (Gunn, 1997; Baldry, 2002; Ma, 2011). Modern dry needling has largely abandoned hypodermic needles in favor of round tip, solid filament needles ranging from .22 to .30 millimeters in diameter as the beveled tip of hypodermic needles causes greater tissue damage. In addition, modern dry needling is used to treat a variety of conditions and dysfunction of neuromusculoskeletal structures (Ma, 2011; Dommerholt & Fernández-de-las-Peñas, 2013; Dunning, et al, 2014).

The use of needles to treat health conditions is not unique to physical therapy. Needles of similar design are used by practitioners of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. However, the use of needles, per se, does not imply that one needling approach is equivalent to another or that one medical profession is infringing on the scope of practice of another. It is not the specific individual procedures or tools that define a profession, but the totality of the scope of practice (National Council of State Boards of Nursing, 2012).' Analysis of Competencies for Dry Needling by Physical Therapists Final Report https://www.apta.org/uploadedFiles/APTAorg/Advocacy/State/Issues/Dry_Needling/AnalysisCompetenciesforDryNeedlingbyPT.pdf