The Benefits Of Dry Needling
Pain affects how your body moves. It is thought that dry needling changes the way the brain and muscles talk to each other to let the system return to a more normal movement pattern..
Dry needling is a term often used by physical therapists and chiropractors used to describe a technique for muscle stimulation using a needle. It’s called dry needling because nothing is injected into the body with the needle.
The tool used for dry needling and acupuncture is the same. Both practices use acupuncture needles, which are solid filiform needles. Dry needling focuses on trigger points which is a sensitive area in the muscle or connective tissue (fascia) that becomes painful when compressed. Pressing on a trigger point can cause referred pain and can help identify the external area in the body generating the pain.
The main difference between trigger points and ah shi points is that when applying pressure to a trigger point, any discomfort, pain or other sensation such as tingling or mild numbness will refer be referred to an area
Dry Needling appeared in the late 1940s and was originally done with empty hypodermic needles (a “dry” needle meant that no medication was injected into the body).
Dry needling today is done with acupuncture needles. Dry needling is specifically intended to treat musculoskeletal and myofascial pain via muscle trigger points. The needles are used to directly stimulate these trigger points, with the aim of alleviating pain and cramping, improving range of motion, and reducing muscle tension. Needles may also be inserted in the tissue surrounding the primary pain point.
Dry needling is focused on using strong stimulation on the muscles to get them to release.
Acupuncture, on the other hand, does not use strong stimulation and it is based on channel theory and using points to heal the body naturally.
As a result, the experience for the patient will be a lot different between these two different forms of treatment. Acupuncture is not painful at all, while dry needling can be.
Compared to acupuncture, dry needling has only been around for a very short period of time.
A Difference in Opinion
Dry needling here in the U.S. is promoted as a stand-alone treatment modality performed by physical therapists, massage therapists, chiropractors, and athletic trainers. These practitioners often claim that dry needling is not acupuncture because it is not based on Traditional Chinese Medicine, yet they sometimes use acupuncture studies to support the argument that their treatment is effective. It should be noted that dry needling is actually a well-established treatment method that is recognized by the World Health Organization as a subtype of acupuncture.
Training and Regulation Issues
Another key difference between dry needling and acupuncture is the amount of training required to administer each of these forms of treatment.
There are no standard guidelines or licensing requirements for dry needling as a therapeutic treatment, which means that it can be performed with minimal training. It is not uncommon for a non-acupuncturist to receive as little as 20 hours of training during a weekend workshop.
Acupuncture requires significantly more training. Although it depends on the state, often it requires graduating from an accredited school and hundreds of hours of both classroom training and clinical practice experience.
Dr. Hardy has received over 2500 hours, of combined acupuncture training, hands-on training, and supervised clinical training, in addition to training in diagnosis and biomedicine—all through an accredited program of study that requires a national board examination followed by continuing education.
Safety Issues and the Patient Experience
Acupuncturists are highly skilled and educated practitioners. Because they have had extensive training, their patients experience little (if any) discomfort during treatment. Practitioners of dry needling do not have the same level of training and proficiency. They can sometimes be too aggressive with needle insertion or inadvertently contaminate the needles; this often results in additional pain for the patient and potential bleeding, bruising, and infection. Needles up to 4 inches in length may be required to reach muscle tissue located deep within the body, leading to more serious complications, such as pneumothorax/collapsed lung and nerve injury.
Dry needling is widely recognized as an invasive procedure.
Several national acupuncture associations and organizations, as well as the American Academy of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and the American Medical Association, have voiced strong concern about patient safety. In 2011, The American Association of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine issued the following Position Statement:
The U.S. Department of Education recognizes ACAOM as the sole accrediting agency for Acupuncture training institutions as well as their Master’s and Doctoral Degree programs. Training in Acupuncture, which has been rigorously refined over the course of hundreds of years internationally and forty years domestically, is well established and designed to support safe and effective practice. Attempts to circumvent Acupuncture training standards, licensing or regulatory laws by administratively re-titling acupuncture as “dry needling” or any other name is confusing to the public, misleading and creates a significant endangerment to public welfare.
Testimonials
“Dr. Hardy is extremely skilled and is an acupuncturist I would recommend to anyone who wants to control his/her diseases and/or ailments.
I was frightened that I would not be able to resume my teaching position due to my Fibromyalgia relapsing so extensively. He has helped me in treating Fibromyalgia and controlling it so I can maintain my health and continue teaching.
I am so grateful to Dr. Hardy. He is the ONLY acupuncturist I will trust to treat me. His fees are reasonable and he is not out for the mighty dollar; he is out to help patients improve their health and lifestyles. Give him a try. You will not be disappointed.“
Carol H.
“Dr. Hardy is skilled and knowledge in a wide variety of natural medical practices.
Dr. Hardy helped me with finding an alternative solution to the psychological and spiritual problems I had suppressed with my eating disorder, the total outcome
of my treatment with Dr. Hardy was a balanced and healthier outlook for myself.
I recommend both treatments of stress reduction and acupuncture. The most positive aspect I experienced was RELAXATION which is the first step in healing. The most effective service of Dr. Hardy was his kind heart.“
Kessia Kordelle
“I came to Dr. Hardy for bad joint pain, especially in my knees, very painful. Also fatigue and stress.
He did acupuncture, which helped a lot. I really don’t like needles, but I would choose that instead of pain. Actually, you really don’t feel the pokes; none at all, very minimal. This is definitely a better way of healing and feeling better.
I can walk, dance, climb stairs without any pain now. Thanks to Dr. Hardy, I feel Great.“
Dolores Johnson
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