Action | Practice of dry needling |
Stage | Proposed |
Comment Period | Ended on 2/24/2017 |
Dry Needling is not a safe practice. Dry Needling is, in fact, acupuncture by another name, and acupuncture can only be legally and safely performed by licensed acupuncturists. While licensed acupuncturists have 2,000+ hours of training, and are required to pass national board examinations regarding Point Location, Western Biomedicine, and the Foundations of Chinese Medicine, Physical Therapists are asking to bypass these educational checkpoints and safeties and practice "dry needling" with only a weekend course.
Performing acupuncture without training, certification, or medical malpractice insurance that covers such practices is unsafe and foolish.
PTs have many techniques within their scope of practice and should leave the acupuncture to acupuncturists for the sake of their own reputations and for the safety of their patients.