The arguments by Acupuncturists against Dry Needling performed by Physical Therapists are due to being misinformed and uneducated on the practice of Dry Needling.  The similarities between the two practices end once the filament needle breaks the patient's skin.  Physical Therapists do not claim to practice the ancient Chinese art of Acupuncture to their patients; we claim to use well documented researched based evidence to support a treatment technique within our Practice Act.  Also all Physical Therapists who practice Trigger Point Dry Needling are trained and have completed extensive training to become Certified Myofacial Trigger Point Therapists.  This means we are treating myofacial trigger points using a dry needle in a method known as intramuscular manual therapy.  Other ways PTs treat trigger points are superficially using their hands for myofacial release techniques and pain relieving modalitieis.  PTs do not insert needles into "Meridian" pathways.  We directly insert the needling into a muscle with an active trigger point in order to release the trigger point to decrease the patient's pain.  Completely different practice patterns which must continue to be used by both professions in order to most appropriately treat a person in pain.