Action | Practice of dry needling |
Stage | NOIRA |
Comment Period | Ended on 12/30/2015 |
Dry needling is directly within the scope of practice of physical therapists and does not encroach on the scope of practice of acupuncture as they are distinctly different practices. The argument that by using the acupuncture needle we are performing acupuncture is incorrect. The needles are simply a tool utilized. The clinical reasoning and goal of placing the needle into the hyperirritable area are very different than the goals an acupuncturist would be trying to accomplish with their treatment. DNT is a completely appropriate modality for qualified physical therapists to utilize. The following objective evidence and clinical data demonstrate why TDN is an effective treatment tool to be used within the scope of practice for a skilled and trained physical therapist.