Dry Needling IS Acupuncture. Here's what you should know:

You may have heard of dry needling being offered by physical therapists or other practitioners. What many people don’t realize is that dry needling is not a separate or new technique—dry needling is acupuncture.

The term “dry needling” in essence simply means a non-injectate needle being inserted into the skin, ie: a needle that does not give you a shot like antibiotics or cortisone (which would be a "wet" needle). Dry needling is acupuncture in that it lies under the vast umbrella of treatment styles an acupuncturist might employ for your healing. It is an orthopedic focused trigger point release style, where a specific muscle is targetted and relaxed.

The term Dry Needing has been adopted by non-acupuncturists in an attempt to distance the practice of using needles for orthopedic purposes from its ancient Chinese medicine roots, and to bypass the extensive training required to become a licensed acupuncturist.

Here's the important difference: Licensed Acupuncturists (LAc) undergo between 2,000–3,000 hours of graduate-level education including 600-1000 hours of supervised clinical training, including anatomy, physiology, pathology, needling technique, safety protocols, and a deep understanding of the body’s systems, from both a western and Traditional East Asian lens. In contrast, most physical therapists complete as few as 20–50 hours of supervised dry needling training—sometimes in a single weekend course—before they are permitted to begin using needles on patients.

This drastic difference in training raises valid concerns about safety, depth of knowledge, and quality of care. This is not to degrade the extensive training, importance, and anatomical knowledge that physical therapists have in the world of medicine. We strongly advocate for Physical Therapy at Mandala, have a physical therapist on our team of providers. We view PT as a critical aspect of a well rounded approach for healing. However, the difference in training when it comes to needles is stark, which is why for needling, we choose acupuncturists, and for guidance on movement medicine, we choose Physical Therapy.

While the tool is the same—a thin, sterile acupuncture needle—the training and approach are not. Receiving dry needling from a licensed acupuncturist ensures that you're in the hands of a highly trained professional who can deliver comfortable, effective, safe, and comprehensive care. If you're considering dry needling for pain, muscle tension, or injury recovery, choose a licensed acupuncturist. Your body—and your results—will thank you.