Dry Needling

Our clinic offers dry needling. This practice has been growing and is often performed by physical therapists. Each state has different requirements, and some states don't even allow it. For example, Arizona requires a 2 or 3-day course for physical therapists to be qualified in dry needling. The philosophy behind dry needling is that needles are inserted into sore joints or muscles to stimulate an immune and thus healing response. In essence, they "micro-traumatize" the area to induce the healing cascade. Dry needling is an especially effective treatment modality for pain relief.

How does it differ from acupuncture? The original philosophy of acupuncture involves using needles along energy channels or "meridians" to restore balance within the body. This applied to: pain, emotional well-being, hormone balance, digestive problems, fertility, injury repair, inflammation, headaches, enhancing sports performance, and improving endurance. A licensed acupuncturist usually requires 4 years of training and has to go through national board certification exams.

The truth is that "dry needling" was a term invented by the physical therapy industry to bypass the rigorous national educational and certification requirements required by the acupuncture industry. The popularity of dry needling has expanded because it is often included under "physical therapy" covered by most insurance companies.