I will begin by stating that I am not an MD.  I am your average female 43-year old and an avid runner, and, a PT patient.  I am baffled that anyone, with or without a background in medicine, would state that dry needling is acupuncture.  It is not.  I have had both, several times (I stopped acupuncture treatments because I did not experience any relief).  To keep on the road, I do dry needling, not acupuncture. 

I have been receiving dry needling for a few years now and it is very effective.  Up until the time my DPT became certified, nothing seemed to work.  Now, I visit my DPT less often.  Not once have I ever left my DPT's office and say "hmmm, that didn't work."  The relief is immediate in most cases. I have a herniated disc that wreaks havoc on my hamstring and glute, and, my job requires a great deal of sitting and travelling that constantly aggravates my condition.  I am sure that without dry needling, I would accelerate towards the need for back surgery. 

My DPT is very thorough and diligent when administering dry needling.  She follows all safety protocols, every single time.  While I respect that everyone is different, I have had no concerns about the procedure nor any adverse side effects.  She has the anatomical, clinical, physiological, and neurological knowledge required to perform dry needling.  Also, as a runner herself, she has firsthand experience how effective the procedure is.    

On a final note, this issue appears to be one that is geared towards "preserving" the client base of acupuncturists than it is ensuring your every day, average person receives the care he/she needs to keep an active lifestyle.  This is asinine.  These are two very different procedures.  If it weren't for dry needling therapy I would have more doctor visits and possibly even surgery.  To remove this therapy would cost individuals and insurance companies even more.   

Happy to discuss further and provide tangible evidence that supports how dry needling has healed my injuries and helps prevent future injuries.