As an Acupuncturist, it interesting to hear many people are unsure of the differences between Acupuncture and Dry Needling.. This topic is a very delicate topic to many Acupuncturist as many believe our profession is being stolen.
Question time.. If a physiotherapist, osteopath, chiropractor or remedial massage therapist attended a 2 day counselling course would you be comfortable with them counselling you? Or would you choose a fully pledge psychologist who has 4-6 years training behind them?
To obtained Dry Needling certificate a 2 day/weekend course open to physiotherapist, osteopaths, chiropractors and remedial massage therapist is needed.
To become an Acupuncture 4 years full time Bachelor of Health Science is required.
Now imagine this, your physiotherapist, osteopath, chiropractor or remedial massage therapist has just attended their 2 day dry needling course and the next day they ask permission to perform dry needling on you. You give permission and it hurts like hell?? The pain is actually pain, it is so painful that you can only feel the pain from the needle being jabbed deeper into the insertion of your muscle. Sound gruelling? this is not an uncommon story I am told by our clients experiencing dry needling.
By the end of my Acupuncture degree, a total of 500 clinical hours of training must be achieved. This process had many laughs, tears and screams in developing into acupuncturist. More importantly we were trained to be skilful and painless with the use of acupuncture needles.
So the next time you receive dry needling, it is worth asking your practitioner how much training and practice have they have?
By Jonathan Yang, Life Synergy.