Dear Board of Physical Therapy,

I am a licensed acupuncturist in the Commonwealth of Virginia and I am opposed to the dry needling regulation. Dry needling is acupuncture. Many supporters of dry needling claim that it and acupuncture are two different and separate modalities. This is incorrect. While it is true that many acupuncturists use their skills to treat internal complications, many of us specialize in pain management and orthopedic and sports medicine. As a specialist in pain management and musculoskeletal complaints, much of my practice consists of using acupuncture needles to target trigger points in muscle tissue. The difference lies in terminology. East Asian medicine uses the term “ahshi” or “motor point” to describe what Western medical physicians prefer to call “trigger points.” The concept is the same despite the difference in terminology. However, as a student of acupuncture, I had to undergo 3000 hours of training, pass 4 board exams, and complete and pass a Clean Needle Technique exam in order to obtain a license.

Many supporters are also relying on a study performed by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy that claims that 86% of physical therapists learn the skills they need to perform dry needling in their entry level courses. I sure that a similar study would find that most acupuncturists possess the skills necessary to perform physical therapy by the end of their first year and certainly by the end of their full education. Many practitioners who also study Tui Na might also possess the skills to perform basic spinal adjustments following their studies. Does that make it legal for us to practice physical therapy and chiropractic medicine? Certainly not. The same restrictions should be placed on physical therapist regarding the practice of acupuncture. There is a difference between possessing skills to perform a therapy and having the legal right to do so as defined by your scope of practice. 

Finally, I encounter patients on a regular basis who are encouraged to undergo dry needling by their physical therapists. Recently, one patient told me of a physical therapist who advertised that they could treat the patient’s stomach pain and acid reflux (an internal condition) with dry needling. More and more dry needling seminars are incorporating acupuncture meridians and points. The fine line between the practice of acupuncture and dry needling is already starting to blur. My patients are becoming increasingly confused as to the difference between acupuncture and physical therapy because their physical therapists are offering to treat more than musculoskeletal conditions.