Dry needling versus acupuncture – what’s the difference? Patients ask us this question all the time. In today’s blog post we’ll cover the basics, including training requirements, certification standards, and what to expect. The bottom line is that dry needling performed by physical therapists encompasses roughly 10 percent of what acupuncture offers and is limited to releasing trigger points by eliciting a muscle twitch. Acupuncture offers this technique plus a whole lot more. In addition, dry needling requires 24 hours of training for physical therapists versus 2625 hours for acupuncturists.
What is Dry Needling?
Dry needling is a treatment healthcare providers utilize for pain and movement issues associated with myofascial trigger points. The provider inserts thin needles into or near a trigger point. The needles stimulate the muscles, which causes them to contract or twitch. This reaction helps relieve pain and improve range of motion.
What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture involves the insertion of thin needles through the skin at strategic locations on the body. One of the five branches of Chinese medicine, acupuncture treats various conditions, including pain, nerve damage, digestive disorders, emotional issues, infertility, bowel function, and autoimmune diseases. In addition, acupuncture treats overall wellness, including stress management.
Traditional Chinese medicine describes acupuncture as a technique for balancing the flow of energy or life force — known as Qi (pronounced chee). Qi flows through channels in the body, nourishing the organs, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Specifically, healing occurs by inserting needles at specific points along the channels (acupoints), prompting the body to return to homeostasis.
Dry Needling Versus Acupuncture
Dry Needling Training Required in North Carolina
The Dry Needling Institute offers a 24-hour certified training course in Raleigh, North Carolina. It includes 18 hours of hands-on training and 6 hours of online work before the hands-on training.
Their website states, “Dry Needling Institute’s 24 hour certified training course results in immediate clinical applicability. Its purpose is to prepare health care professionals to utilize dry needling as a diagnostic and treatment modality. This course is meant for practitioners who desire improved clinical outcomes, improved patient satisfaction and increased referrals.”
Acupuncture Training Required in North Carolina
The practice of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) involves much more than just the insertion of acupuncture needles. Becoming a competent and qualified TCM practitioner in the United States requires three to four years of full-time post-graduate study at an accredited educational institution. This educational requirement is the most significant difference in evaluating dry needling versus acupuncture.
Like your M.D., your acupuncturist must adhere to rules that ensure their licensing and training are up-to-date. Most states, including North Carolina, require national board certification for TCM practitioners. Yet, ironically, most states allow Western medical doctors and chiropractors to practice acupuncture without formal training. That’s because doctors and chiropractors demanded this entitlement in return for supporting the legalization of acupuncture. This loophole does not serve the public.
Acupuncture Graduate Training
Acupuncturists must complete at least three years of full-time graduate school before becoming eligible for the national board certification with the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). In addition, North Carolina has extensive regulations in place concerning the practice of acupuncture. These regulations include state licensing requirements and specifications on the scope of practice. Furthermore, all acupuncturists licensed in North Carolina must complete 40 hours of continuing education every two years.
National Certification for Acupuncturists
Upon completing formal graduate school education, all aspiring acupuncturists must take a 2-day national board examination. Having previously been an attorney, I can tell you that the acupuncture boards are much more difficult than the bar exam required to become a lawyer. In addition, the information required to become a nationally board-certified acupuncturist is vast and comprehensive, indeed a complete medical system equivalent to Western medicine in breadth and scope.
The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) provides national board certification for TCM practitioners. NCCAOM is a non-profit organization established in 1982 to promote nationally recognized standards of competency and safety for the practice of acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, and Oriental bodywork. When comparing dry needling versus acupuncture, you will see that no national board oversees dry needling.
Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Training
To be eligible for the NCCAOM exam, an applicant must have completed a formal education in acupuncture or Oriental medicine through an accredited school. In addition, they must complete an accredited course of study that can document at least 1,905 hours (3 years of full-time schooling) of didactic and clinic education.
To obtain a degree in Oriental Medicine, which includes acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine, they must complete at least 2,625 hours (4 years of full-time study) of didactic and clinic coursework. This level of education is equivalent to or greater than the training required for most dentists and chiropractors. Yet we are not allowed to call ourselves “doctor” as we lack the political connections enjoyed by other professions.
Dry Needling Illiegal In Several States
In several states, including California, Florida, Idaho, New York, and South Dakota, dry needling is prohibited by state health boards. Healthline reported,
“Physical therapists who use dry needling are sidestepping laws and bypassing rules and regulations created for consumer protection,” said Neal Miller, an acupuncturist from Los Angeles with almost 30 years of experience, who serves on the board of the California Society of Oriental Medicine (CSOM) and the Acupuncture Integrated Medical Society (AIMS).
“Dry needling is acupuncture and physical therapists are practicing it without a license and putting patients at risk,” Miller said. “Dry needling uses trigger points, 90 percent of which are acupuncture points. In many states where dry needling is now allowed, little or no extra training is required for physical therapists to perform it on patients.”
Choose Wisely – Your Health Is At Stake
Dry needling is currently legal in North Carolina, primarily offered by physical therapists. As we have seen over the years, it all comes down to politics. Orthopedic surgeons, who have a great deal of clout with the state medical governing boards, support physical therapists. Specifically, dry needling is billable through insurance and increases revenue for their practitioners. Yet, does dry needling by physical therapists best serve the public?
When evaluating dry needling versus acupuncture, ask yourself the following question. Do 24 hours of training for dry needling offer the same quality of care as 2625 hours of training for a nationally board-certified practitioner of Oriental medicine? Everything you wish to accomplish through dry needling can be done more effectively and safer by a nationally certified acupuncturist. We hope North Carolina someday joins California and New York in banning dry needling. Until then, you must decide what’s best for yourself and your family.
NCCAOM Dry Needling Position Statement
Read the full text of our national certifying board’s position on dry needling.
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