Dry Needling Is The Next Big Thing In Physical Therapy
Here’s What You Need To Know…
1. The practice of Dry Needling has been around for decades and continues to improve Neuro-Musculo-Skeletal function. As these techniques, methods improve, so do the practitioners skill set, making this treatment strategy one of the most effective in the world of rehabilitation.
2. The advancements in dry needling has lead to a number of different models and methods including the myofascial trigger point model, the radiculopathy model and the spinal segmental sensitization model, all which are used to treat the presence of pain or dysfunction.
3. The primary goal of Dry Needling is to desensitize supersensitive structures, to restore motion and function and to possibly induce a healing response to the tissue. For seasoned practitioners, Dry Needling is extremely beneficial for quick and tangible results on top of other movement remediations.
4. Dry Needling is completely different from Acupuncture. Dry Needling is technique to treat the neuromusculoskeletal systems based on pain patterns, muscular dysfunction, and other orthopedic signs and symptoms which depends upon physical examination and assessment to guide the treatment. Acupuncture is a technique for balancing the Flow of Energy or Life Force, known as Qi or Chi, believed to flow through meridians, pathways, in your body.
5. If you are skeptical of Dry Needling, there is indeed a reason why world class athletes from around the globe are being treated for pain and dysfunction using this technique. And as the physical therapy and chiropractic scopes of practice continue to widely accept this practice, we will continue to see marked improvements in practice and possibly the emergence of Dry Needling as a gold standard soft tissue and neuromuscular technique.
The History and Foundation of Dry Needling
The history of Dry Needling (DN) dates back to the 1940’s with Dr. Janet Travell. She identified the muscular trigger points and referral patterns that were elicited with the “wet needling.” Later, she discovered that “Dry Needling” offered the same results. This was groundbreaking work and hence she created the name “Dry Needling.” She and Dr. David Simon carefully identified most of the trigger points located in the human body. Thus, the first generation of modern Dry Needling was established (1).
“Wet Needling” is when a substance (supplement or medication) is introduced to the body via a hypodermic needle. “Dry Needling” involves a physical assessment and is an intervention for neuromusculoskeletal conditions as developed and described by Janet Travell MD, David Simons MD, Dr. C. Chan Gunn and others. It uses small monofilament needles to reactive trigger points and “loosen” shortened muscles. This treatment likely affects the immune, inflammatory, biomechanics, vascular and neurological systems (2).
The APTA (American Physical Therapy Association) states Dry Needling is a skilled intervention that uses a thin filiform needle to penetrate the skin and stimulate underlying myofascial trigger points, muscular, and connective tissues for the management of neuromusculoskeletal pain and movement impairments. Dry Needling is a technique used to treat dysfunctions in skeletal muscle, fascia, and connective tissue, and, diminish persistent peripheral nociceptive input, and reduce or restore impairments of body structure and function leading to improved activity and participation (3).
Dry Needling has had several names that Clinicians seem to utilize: TDN (Trigger Point Dry Needling), IMS (Intramuscular Stimulation), IMT (Intramuscular Manual Therapy), FDN (Functional Dry Needling) and several others.
In the United States, Physical Therapists, Chiropractors, Osteopaths, Medical Doctors, Naturopaths and Acupuncturists are utilizing Dry Needling.
Depending on the State you live in and your professional degree of choice, you may be able to practice Dry Needling and/or Acupuncture. Check out your State’s Scope of Practice for PT’s: Scope of Practice. Check out your State’s Scope of Practice for Chiro’s: Scope of Practice.
Popular Dry Needling Theories
MTP Model (Myofascial Trigger Point): Dry Needling is used primarily in the treatment of myosfascial trigger points (MTrPs) defined as “hyperirritable spots in skeletal muscle associated with hypersensitive palpable nodules in a taut band.” While Dr. Janet Travell is generally credited for bringing MTrPs to the attention of health care providers, MTrPs have been described and rediscovered for several centuries by various clinicians and researchers (4).
Radiculopathy Model: Dr. Chan Gunn developed his Radiculopathy model based off Cannon’s Law of Denervation Supersensitivity and coined the term “intramuscular stimulation.” This model is a developed system for the diagnosis and treatment of myofascial pain syndrome (2).
Spinal Segmental Sensitization Model: Dr. Andrew Fischer created a Model, which utilizes the works of Travell and Simons’ Trigger Point Model, and Gunn’s Radiculopathy Model. According to Fischer, the most effective methods for relief of musculoskeletal pain include pre injections blocks, needle and infiltration of tender spots and trigger points, somatic blocks, spray and stretch methods and relaxation exercises (5).
Benefits of Dry Needling
Dry Needling is becoming a popular modality in medical practices, as musculoskeletal complaints are one of the most reported conditions to seek medical attention.
Musculoskeletal diseases affect more than one out of every two persons in the United States age 18 and over, and nearly three out of four age 65 and over. Trauma, back pain, and arthritis are the three most common musculoskeletal conditions reported, and for which health care visits to physicians’ offices, emergency departments, and hospitals occur each year. (6) This increase in occurrence of musculoskeletal pain is causing people to search for good manual therapists with a plethora of modalities, including Dry Needling, to fix their pain quickly.
According to Kinetacore, the primary goal of Dry Needling is to desensitize supersensitive structures, to restore motion and function and to possibly induce a healing response to the tissue. This goal of treatment will allow you to treat and help a broad spectrum of patients from Chronic Pain Syndrome to MS (Multiple Sclerosis) to Sprain/Strain Injuries (The list could go on).
A Dry Needling Therapist can “feel” with the needle and utilize it as a diagnostic instrument. Dry Needling is often extremely helpful as tight muscles, contractures and trigger points are invisible to X-rays, MRI, CT’s. Contractures deep in the muscles can be felt with the needle via feedback on the quality of the tissues that it is penetrating. I utilize Dry Needling as a diagnostic and therapeutic tool similar to the Graston Technique. From a manual therapist standpoint, it is amazing what you can “feel” in the tissue when you have a needle extending through the deep layers of muscle and fascia. When I penetrate through chronic and fibrotic tissue, it feels very “gooey” to me. It feels very similar to some old school Silly Putty. I can tell that this is an area of muscle amnesia that needs to be woken up, stimulated and re-educated.
Difference Between Dry Needling and Acupuncture
Dry Needling is technique to treat the neuromusculoskeletal systems based on pain patterns, muscular dysfunction, and other orthopedic signs and symptoms. Dry Needling depends upon physical examination and assessment to guide the treatment; moreover, this allows you to test and re-test after a Dry Needling treatment has been performed. It gives you the opportunity to show tangible changes pre and post treatment. This allows for good objective information to show the patient or client their improvements in a quick fashion.
Traditional Chinese Medicine explains Acupuncture as a technique for balancing the Flow of Energy or Life Force, known as Qi or Chi, believed to flow through meridians, pathways, in your body. By inserting needles into specific points along these meridians, Acupuncture Practitioners believe that your Energy Flow will re-balance (7). Based off my knowledge of Acupuncture, this is a very brief explanation of what Acupuncture really is.
A monofilament needle is the only thing that is related in TCM Acupuncture and Dry Needling. There are similarities but very significant differences between TCM style of Acupuncture and Dry Needling. Acupuncture follows rules and beliefs, which have been established since early times. Whereas Dry Needling does not follow the Acupuncture philosophy. Most if not all of the TCM is based on pre-scientific ideas whereas, Dry Needling is totally based on modern scientific, neurophysiology and anatomy. Dry Needling provides pain relief and is based on recent understanding of pain science, there is much less mystique surrounding Dry Needling concern pain abatement by the scientific community. TCM Acupuncture can rest a vast range of tomato viscera illnesses as well as being effective in pain relief (8).
Athletes Want More Than Pain Relief
We know that Dry Needling acts locally, segmentally and systemically on the body. For Example, when a Needle is introduced to the human body, local reactions occur at the point of penetration. The body reacts in such a way that it releases cytokines, substance P and CGRP (Calcitonin Gene Related Peptide). Where the needle penetrates the skin, the body releases CGRP, which causes a cascade of reactions resulting in vasodilation, increased blood vessel formation, and increased tissue repair. In addition, the body will react in such a way that segmentally, at the spinal level, an Enkephalin release will occur resulting in a local pain response. Moreover, a Beta Endorphin release from the brain creating an analgesic affect will result in an overall systemic response. Performance and Injury Prevention is all about Recovery!
One of Many Clinical Success Stories
I had an athlete who came in with complaints of lateral knee pain with Multi-Segmental Flexion and Squatting. He was unable to touch his toes with Multi-Segmental Flexion and unable to break parallel in his Squat Pattern when I assessed him with the Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA). Based off the Patient’s SFMA, biomechanical evaluation, signs, symptoms and palpable trigger points, I decided to Dry Needle his Glutes, Quads and Calf, specifically gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, vastus lateralis, rectus femoris and gastrocnemius.
Videos of Functional Dry Needling
In this video, you will see a “twitch response” in the quad muscle. The “twitch response” is an involuntary contraction caused by pistoning, moving the needle up and down, in to his quad trigger points.
In this video, you will see a “twitch response” in the calf muscle. The “twitch response” in this video is elicited via a Pointer Plus Excell II (0-16Hz). This has a similar response to the pistoning “twitch response”.
The Local Twitch Response (LTR) is an involuntary spinal reflex contraction of muscle fibers within a taut band during needling. Research shows that biochemical changes occur after a LTR, which correlate with a clinically observed decrease in pain and tenderness after MTP release by Dry Needling (9).
Videos of Pre-Post Changes after a Dry Needling Treatment
Here are some pre-treatment videos taken from a multi-segmentation flexion pattern of a patient. There is both a front and side view to check out the toe touch depth along with the curvature of the spine in addition to the pelvic tilt.
Pre-Treatment Front View
Pre-Treatment Side View
And after only a Dry Needling treatment session, this is the post-treatment multi-segmental flexion pattern from both the side and the front.
Post-Treatment Front View
Post-Treatment Side View
Now by no means in the video is his MSF perfect; however, I do want you to notice the increase in his posterior weight shift, spinal flexion and his increase in confidence while moving through this movement pattern. In addition, he had a pain free Squat and Multi-Segmental Flexion movement pattern.
Innovative Thoughts and Technique
My formal training in Dry Needling is through Kinetacore. In addition, I’m a Fellow of the International Academy of Medical Acupuncture. My particular gravitation to this modality, Dry Needling, is the incredible impact that it has neurophysiologically, biomechanically and systemically on the body. It expedites the healing process and repair of tissue while decreasing pain and increasing range of motion; this response allows athletes and clients to return back to their sport or activity much quicker. Dry Needling would be my “Reset” in Gray Cook’s theory of Rest, Reinforce, Reload.
One concern that I have seen with Dry Needling, and I will allude to Sue Falsone’s interview a while back on SportsRehabExpert, is the incredible amount of increased range of motion that Dry Needling can introduce to a particular joint or movement pattern. This particular response will alter biomechanics and proprioception which may increase your chance of injury if this range of motion is foreign to the brain or tissue; therefore, you want to make sure that you are following up a Dry Needling session with some sort of rehabilitation exercise, corrective exercise or training session that will improve the dysfunction of a particular movement pattern.
As Clinicians, we need to respect that both modalities, Dry Needling and Acupuncture, are providing results for patients all over. At the end of the day, my goal is to help my clients or patients and improve their quality of life with this modality. I’m still learning and appreciate all the knowledge that I have acquired thus far from my Acupuncture and Dry Needling education. I plan on furthering my knowledge and Dry Needling Education with Kinetacore, Janet Travell’s Myopain Seminars and Dr. Ma’s Systemic Dry Needling. My advice…. Never stop learning and continue to explore new modalities to help your patients, clients and athletes.
About The Author
Dr. James Spencer – I am a Sports Performance Chiropractor, a Certified Athletic Trainer, and a Fellow of the International Academy of Medical Acupuncture. I am originally from Sarasota, Florida but work in South Florida. Each individual encounter or training session allows me to positively impact my client, and for that, I am excited to be able to share my passion with others. My physical background includes kettlebells, indian clubs, steel clubs, maces, juggling, skateboarding, surfing, wakeskating, paddleboarding, slacklining, climbing trees and enjoying life in South Florida. I have written multiple guest blogs for John Rusin Fitness Systems. My formal training is in: Active Release Techniques (ART) Graston Technique, Kinetacore Functional Dry Needling, SpiderTech Kinesiology Tape, RockTape Fascial Movement Taping (FMT), Postural Restoration Institute (PRI), Y-Balance Test (YBT), Functional Movement Screen (FMS), Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA), Mike Boyle’s Certified Functional Strength Coach (CFSC)and the Onnit Academy of Unconventional Training.
Follow Dr. Spencer on Instragram
Additional Dry Needling Resources
Dry Needling for Chronic Ankle Instability
Dry Needling for Acute Neck Pain
Dry Needling for Chronic Low Back Pain
Dry Needling Success Story Podcast
References
1. https://integrativedryneedling.com/resources/history-integrative-dry-needling/
2. Zylstra E., Kinetacore Functional Dry Needling: Level 1, Applications for Management of Movement Impairments, Pain and Sports Injuries. Pg 9&12.
3. https://www.aaompt.org/documentspdf
4. https://www.restoresportsmassage.co.uk/trigger%20points%20research%20review.pdf
5. Dommerholt, J. Dry Needling in Orthopedic Physical Therapy Practice. In, Orthopedic Practice, 2004;Vol.16 (3) 15-20.
6. https://www.boneandjointburden.org
7. https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/acupuncture/basics/definition/prc-20020778
8. https://www.iama.edu/Articles/DryNeedling.htm
9. Shah JP, Gilliams EA. Uncovering the Biochemical Milieu of Myofascial Trigger points using In Vivo Microdialysis: an Application of Muscle Pain Concepts to Myofascial Pain Syndrome. J Bodyw Mov Ther. Oct 2008;12(4):371-384
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Seems like that might have been the case/article 10yrs ago, cute placebo though. You could just have somebody slap you and get the same nervous system response.
Jim have you read the research on it?
I’m currently doing a paper on it for my DPT schooling and the majority of publication on it in RCT show there is more than placebo effect when it utilizes the twitch response.
It shouldn’t be utilized as a first choice in most cases, but it can be more beneficial than a placebo, or a slap in the face
LOL true but it is hardly new or the next big thing. Ill say it is likely a unique benefit to 5%. Of course if your a college or pro athlete and you have access to free or on tap care why not. I just hate the general public wanting 50 needles in them because ESPN did a story on DN.
Please don’t presume to define what acupuncture and Chinese medicine are or are not. Your explanations are inaccurate, appear quite biased, and are based on the most superficial (and seemingly dismissive) understandings of a very deep and substantial practice that includes many muscular and fascial techniques validated by both a substantial body of research and thousands of years of refinement. It’s inappropriate and entirely presumptuous for you to seek to define acupuncture based on your misunderstanding of the practice of another profession.
Completely agree that “It’s inappropriate and entirely presumptuous for you to seek to define acupuncture based on your misunderstanding of the practice of another profession.” It’s beyond presumptuous – more like brazen ignorance. Particularly considering that based on licensing laws, licensed acupuncturists have much more extensive training (including, yes, on musculoskeletal approaches, considering that’s a primary use of acupuncture) than the author’s intended weekend seminars or whatever. I suppose next the author is going to inform us that acupuncturists are still living in caves and swinging from trees.
Fascinating mix of comments.
If dry needling is the next best thing for physical therapists, which has essentially been stolen and bastardized from acupuncturists and Chinese medicine, then that is sad to me. Your weekend course does not qualify you to stick needles in anyone, from all of the “weekend Needlers” I have met, the lack of understanding of how the needles effect the nervous system is alarming. Recognize when you are not the expert and walk away.
Megan,
Based on my 10+ Years of Sports Medicine Education and well over 5000 hours of Clinical Sports Medicine Education, including my dual educational training in Acupuncture and Dry Needling, allow me to Speak on this Topic. In regards to the NeuroPhysiology, It’s unfortunate you didn’t read the entire article as it states “We know that Dry Needling acts locally, segmentally and systemically on the body. For Example, when a Needle is introduced to the human body, local reactions occur at the point of penetration. The body reacts in such a way that it releases cytokines, substance P and CGRP (Calcitonin Gene Related Peptide). Where the needle penetrates the skin, the body releases CGRP, which causes a cascade of reactions resulting in vasodilation, increased blood vessel formation, and increased tissue repair. In addition, the body will react in such a way that segmentally, at the spinal level, an Enkephalin release will occur resulting in a local pain response. Moreover, a Beta Endorphin release from the brain creating an analgesic affect will result in an overall systemic response. Performance and Injury Prevention is all about Recovery!”
“Weekend needlers” … Like The people taking these courses just walked out of their jobs at Walmart and decided to take the course instead of having doctorate level degrees.
It’s called acupuncture. It’s been around for 2,000 + years. I would not trust someone to stick needles in my body who has such a poor grasp of history, concepts, and reality as somone praticing “dry needling”.
Dry needling and acupuncture are 2 very different things. How about both groups check themselves. I’m with Jim if you feel off Just SLAP yourself in the face. It clears the meridians, gives a twitch response, revitalizes, and done in repetition provides a upper extremity conditioning effect. So everybody here just give it a shot right now ! now don’t you feel better for being two distinct groups of ass holes.
Appreciate the dose of levity from Elliot, however painting this as two groups bickering misses the point. An analogy would be saying that physical therapists either practice soft tissue work or exercises. Or a chiros just crack backs or sell supplements or health advice or whatever. Certainly it’s possible to meet people who seem to fall into one camp or the other. However the best practitioners have broader skills and knowledge, regardless of their professional stripes. The weird thing about this article is that the author superficially shows historical and interdisciplinary knowledge, but then when it comes to acupuncture he turns to be biased, ill-informed and rather backwards. Whether he’s interested in turf wars and grinding his ax or just ignorant is unclear, but it’s odd.
“My particular gravitation to this modality, Dry Needling, is the incredible impact that it has neurophysiologically, biomechanically and systemically on the body. It expedites the healing process and repair of tissue while decreasing pain and increasing range of motion; this response allows athletes and clients to return back to their sport or activity much quicker.”
I think you will find that traditional acupuncture does exactly the same thing and that numerous athletes advocate the benefits of traditional acupuncture.
Your article is misleading and ill-informed.
Dry Needeling is a form of acupuncture. To try to undermine Acupuncture the way you describe it is actually illigal .and it is called slander. You cannot legally discredit another profession. Be careful with this. If you want to be an expert on what acupuncture is , go to acupuncture school.
Katarina,
My goal of this Article is clearly stated in this Quote, “As Clinicians, we need to respect that both modalities, Dry Needling and Acupuncture, are providing results for patients all over. At the end of the day, my goal is to help my clients or patients and improve their quality of life with this modality. I’m still learning and appreciate all the knowledge that I have acquired thus far from my Acupuncture and Dry Needling education. I plan on furthering my knowledge and Dry Needling Education with Kinetacore, Janet Travell’s Myopain Seminars and Dr. Ma’s Systemic Dry Needling. My advice…. Never stop learning and continue to explore new modalities to help your patients, clients and athletes.” This clearly does not coincide with Slander, nor is that my intention of this Article.
Why are you so eager to define what acupuncture is? Is it to shape public opinion on acupuncture to your narrow view about it? What is the motivation in this tactic? And yes, it is slander and illegal FYI. You stated” TCM is based on pre-scientific ideas whereas, Dry Needling is totally based on modern scientific, neurophysiology and anatomy.” This is false information. Acupuncture is based on science, anatomy and neurophysics. No different there. Is it your opinion that if you insert a needle in the body it would ellicite a differnt response if it is called DN? Are you serious? You are doing acupuncture, but want to call it something else. Otherwise why are you constantly trying to convince the public that you are NOT doing acupuncture? And how it is “different” all the time?
Dry needling is acupuncture. Period. Stop portraying otherwise to patients and the medical profession. It’s dangerous to perform acupuncture after so little study, and luckily the legal system is getting involved nationally for this issue. So find an acupuncturist to work together with to help your patients, or go to acupuncture school. And yes, acupuncture is very effective for pain management, it has been used for thousands of years (not decades).
Erin,
I would agree that Dry Needling falls under the umbrella of Acupuncture; however, I believe there is a difference between the 2 modalities… the difference comes down to intent. In my practice, I use Dry Needling for a Movement and Functional Approach (pain, ROM, dysfunction, recovery, etc). That’s my intent…. Not for any Meridian System Stimulation, Energy/Chi Influence or TCM Tradition (or any other connotation of Acupuncture you may have). I’m formally trained as a Fellow of the International Academy of Medical Acupuncture, yet I refer patients to a LAc down the street from me because I respect the modality too much. I hope this sheds some light on the situation.
Dr, John. You are confusing the terminology of TCM. This is why you shouldn’t try to define a practice that you are not familiar with. The practice of acupuncture is derived from China, the medical terminology has been translated to many languages. In western medical terminology The meridians is translated into the circulatory system, the word Qi means the physiological function of the body and oxygen. It is not “an invisible energy etc” You are spreading misinformation and it has to stop. It is not in your scope to define this medicine. The question is, why are you doing it?
It’s not acupuncture and why would he go to school for that? Do you know how much BS they learn? Most of it’s useless. PT’s should be the ones using these needles. They practice under western medicine and have the anatomical training to know where to apply needles.
Dry needling and acupuncture are very different. Acupuncture did not work to get the knots I have had in my shoulder for 10 years out but I had dry needling with electricity and the knots disappeared in just 2-3 sessions but it was done by a licensed physical therapist. And I had to sign a waiver and she had taken courses in it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygtOBE_qkZ0
Nice link that explains the difference between acupuncture and dry needling
Does insurance cover acupuncture if performed by a physical therapist who is not licensed in the state? I’m pretty sure it’s illegal to practice acupuncture without a license.
Ashley,
I don’t believe an Insurance Company would cover it but look in to that state’s scope of practice and reciprocity rules.
It’s not billed as acupuncture when a PT does it R-tard.
Is this article by James Spencer or John Rusin? Confusing on whom to give credit to.
James Spencer
I am searching for a PT or someone who is trained in dry needling. I am a firm believer in its worth! I have just moved from CO (where I was introduced to dry needling by my PT that I first sought as a myofasical release specialist). I am DESPERATE to find someone near me ( I live in Vero Beach, FL) who has the ability to dry needle. I have Fibromyalgia and Interstitial Cystitis and Dry Needling has brought me more relief than anything I have ever found. My email is MotherThreeT@yahoo.com. Please let me know if you are near me or if you know of another practitioner who is close to me. I will drive as far as I can to obtain what I need. Thank you!
I found ur blog is very handy to me. When you keep going the perfect work I’ll come back at ur site.
Cross Referral is the Key. I work with a LAc down the street from me. It’s Great!
I have to really thank Dr. John for all the amazing info and work he does. He definitely provides great stuff. BUT….
The picture you use in your own article (knee treatment w/ stim) uses exclusively old school TCM acupuncture points. The other knee below uses too many needles, because the practitioner doesn’t know what the heck he is doing . And the lower back (“innovative ideas”) is seriously a war crime and the PT should be prosecuted in the Hague for that mess
Dry Needling and acupuncture are the same thing….period. Let’s hear about the differences of dry needling and acupuncture from a Acupuncturists (L.Ac) point of view. Before you make the distinction between the two, shouldn’t you be educated in both?
There are countless styles of acupuncture. Distal and proximal needling are two. Dry Needling is a proximal needling style that has existed in Chinese medicine for hundreds of years and now has become a term developed for PTs to appropriate and go outside of their scope of practice. I think many PTs get confused when they see distal styles of acupuncture and think that’s all there is to it. Without the education or understanding of the orthopedic history in Chinese medicine. So, no Travell didn’t invent or discover trigger points.
PT’s doing this type of work is a scam at best and dangerous at worst. If you want to needle folks, get the proper training. Acupuncture school is about four years…go for it and then tell me how it’s different.
And the issue is not only training…do you want someone sticking a needle into you, if it’s a side certification to their real PT work? I needle patients at least 40 hours a week minimum. The experience gained from this is huge and PTs just don’t have this, because they are busy, you know…being PTs.
“Lax regulation and nonexistent standards surround this invasive practice. (Dry Needling). For patients’ safety, practitioners should meet standards required for licensed acupuncturists and physicians,” AMA
It is illegal under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) and FDA regulations for unqualified practitioners of acupuncture, such as physical therapists, to purchase or possess acupuncture needles.
Acupuncture needles are Class II (special controls) medical devices regulated under 21 CFR § 880.5580.
Also, there are no billing codes for dry needling in PT. Many states are outlawing PTs performing acupuncture and more to follow.
Acupuncture is Dry Needling.
Gua Sha is Graston.
Cupping is myofascial decompression.
Seriously, what is next? PTs doing surgery and giving hair cuts? The cultural and professional appropriation is staggering. PTs may think they are improving Chinese medicine, but they generally don’t even know anything about Chinese medicine.
.
Shut up. I live in NYS and I have called several acupuncturist and they said no. We do NOT do dry needling but we get the same results. I had acupuncture done for 8 weeks. Never once put into a trigger point. It did nothing. I bought my own acupuncture needles from China and got better results. I am a patient. And acupuncture is not dry needling. Mind your own business or find another career.
Through which company would you recommend getting certified in Dry Needling?
I had bilateral knee replacement on October 31 was having trouble bending my right knee and even considering manipulation under sedation after a month or more of pt I had my first Dn 24 hours later I can really see a big difference in my knee flexibility
I am a firm believer in this!!! I had a rotator cuff tear and bicep tendon detach. Four to five weeks after surgery my deltoid muscle was like a football and would not settle down even with a deep massage and work on it each week. My Physical therapist told me about this procedure and that he thought it would help. At that point you could have used a jack hammer and I wouldn’t have cared. I had one session with about six to seven needles. Amazing and immediate results. Such relief and it’s lasted a week at this point. I would recommend it to anyone.
Kathy,
It worked because your PT was doing acupuncture. Needling with acupuncture needles.
What makes this doctor an expert on the definition of Acupuncture? Is he a licensed acupuncturist? If not, then this is called slander of a profession and it is illegal. You are not allowed to define a scope of practice unless you are licensed in it and try to shape public opinion. This is against the law and could warrant a lawsuit.
Orthopedic Acuouncture has been treating local musculoskeletal pain for 2000 years. – it is described in the Su Wen. The work of Dr. Helene Langevain, MD, PhD, Lic. Ac . and ger research on how acupuncture affects fascia. Dry needling is orthopedic acupuncture.
Your comment in the article “Most if not all of the TCM is based on pre-scientific ideas whereas, Dry Needling is totally based on modern scientific, neurophysiology and anatomy” is abjectly false!
What a way to discredit the acupuncture profession, rename it as “dry needling” and claim it as your own.
Over thousands of years. AT LEAST TWO THOUSAND. The Chinese culture developed MANY styles of acupuncture. The term “meridian” comes from a FRENCH researcher when acupuncture knowledge was all in Chinese. Please be thorough in YOUR research when you speak about acupuncture. Needling motor and trigger points is a branch of ACUPUNCTURE called orthopedic acupuncture. Chinese medicine has been around for so much longer than western medicine, than PT. Please show respect and thorough research before making uninformed claims!
So you are removing the posts that disagree with you. Maybe you should rewrite your article and speak the truth about acupuncture instead of lies.
Funny how dry needling has morphed from just getting the muscle to twitch to the now wide array of homeostatic neuro benefits. It is funny how the limitations of the Dry Needle technique (you don’t always get the muscle to twitch, so what do you do then?) has morphed into the retention of needle and distal needle acupuncture techniques. Call a rose by any other name and it is still a rose. Dry Needle is a small and limited technique under the wide umbrella of acupuncture. What dry needle reveals is that 60% of Physical Therapy education and techniques is useless, unnecessary, ineffective, and irrelevant. With one weekend warrior class suddenly Physical Therapist are arming themselves with needles. That speaks greatly to the uselessness of the majority of training and education they have received. What is more dangerous though, is now they are engaged in Malpractice. Acupuncture Physiology offers a very specific, systematic, logical, and remarkable explanation and understanding of human health engineering. (Sorry Dr. Rusin but your homeostatic neuralgic linguspeak is vagure, non descript, and without the elgance of structure of Acupuncture Physiology). Physical Therapist now think they can treat any disease with Dry Needle. They treat headaches with dry needle, they treat sinuses with dry needle yet both they and their patients are ignorant of the causes, pathology, and diagnosis of such conditions. Dry Needlers don’t have the training to differentiate the causes of headaches, sinuses, and any other condition which they are now trying to preempt. Dry Needle has indeed morphed into Acupuncture. Except Dry Needlers are wholly ignorant of acupuncture physiology and are engaged in MalPractice upon their unwitting patients
“Funny how dry needling has morphed from just getting the muscle to twitch to the now wide array of homeostatic neuro benefits. It is funny how the limitations of the Dry Needle technique (you don’t always get the muscle to twitch, so what do you do then?) has morphed into the retention of needle and distal needle acupuncture techniques. Call a rose by any other name and it is still a rose. Dry Needle is a small and limited technique under the wide umbrella of acupuncture. What dry needle reveals is that 60% of Physical Therapy education and techniques is useless, unnecessary, ineffective, and irrelevant. With one weekend warrior class suddenly Physical Therapist are arming themselves with needles. That speaks greatly to the uselessness of the majority of training and education they have received. What is more dangerous though, is now they are engaged in Malpractice. Acupuncture Physiology offers a very specific, systematic, logical, and remarkable explanation and understanding of human health engineering. (Sorry Dr. Rusin but your homeostatic neuralgic lingu-speak is vague, non-descript, and without the elegance of structure of Acupuncture Physiology). Physical Therapist now think they can treat any disease with Dry Needle. They treat headaches with dry needle, they treat sinuses with dry needle yet both they and their patients are ignorant of the causes, pathology, and diagnosis of such conditions. Dry Needlers don’t have the training to differentiate the causes of headaches, sinuses, and any other condition which they are now trying to preempt. Dry Needle has indeed morphed into Acupuncture. Except Dry Needlers are wholly ignorant of acupuncture physiology and are engaged in MalPractice upon their unwitting patients.
Ok – my back was injured in 2003 where I ruptured the L4 and L5 disc’s in my lower back… I opted to get treated in physical therapy and by a Chiropractor to see if I could avoid surgery. I stuck with this and did not get surgery – 6 years later, another episode with severe back pain, I had overdone it in running – at 2011 for a govt. security job… So, more therapy and chiropractor – worked again but took several months – as it did the time before.
Flash forward – 3-weeks ago, got up and back was out… Experienced severe sciatic pain and shooting pains in both legs, feet numb and tingly, and pain around the lower back area. Went to a Doctor who prescribed Physical therapy. So, they say when I get there – “OK to do Dry Needling on you? I am like – Whats that? They explained it, and I said ok… So, Both legs got tested for muscular strength and I was surprised how weak my right one was. Then.. the dry Needling in my right butt cheek on some key muscle area – a “trigger point.” It was not fun and a few spots hurt… However, after I finished, I could immediately feel a difference in my legs – less pain it seemed. By 18-hours, I had zero sciatic pain, and virtually no pain in my legs. Over the next few days everything went away, but my right butt cheek felt like it was hit with a shotgun blast of Rock Salt for a few days, then went away.. So, the Therapist said my pain should move to the area of the back injury, as now my muscles – which had tightened up to keep the spine form moving, had all the knots and tension out of them, and are relaxed. So, My back went into spasms and unbelievable fun pain… Horrible… I kept therapy up every day and had to take pain meds and cyclobenzaprine, but only took what I needed… My back is responding well now and the pain subsided after 3-4 days and is gradually getting better… This all happened from last Tuesday – to today – 9-days total… I plant to stick with therapy and will see the chiropractor who has not adjusted me yet, and is waiting for more improvement. Dam not out of the woods yet, and am sticking with and to the program… completely… Do your therapy exercises!!! Bottom Line, Dry Needling is absolutely something to consider in my book… It relaxes the muscles that cause the tension and pain… Stretching is done with this, but I know stretching alone would never have allowed my body to respond and heal so fast… The Therapist is not some comic book trained maniac – the therapist is a professional with lots of experience, training, a master’s degree, and a commitment to help people with injuries – a profession of choice…. so, keep an open mind – that is my experience…
There is certainly a great deal to learn about this subject. I really like all of the points you’ve made.|