Virginia Regulatory Town Hall
Agency
Department of Health Professions
 
Board
Board of Physical Therapy
 
chapter
Regulations Governing the Practice of Physical Therapy [18 VAC 112 ‑ 20]
Action Practice of dry needling
Stage Proposed
Comment Period Ended on 7/26/2019
spacer
Previous Comment     Next Comment     Back to List of Comments
7/22/19  12:20 pm
Commenter: Heather Carr, One 2 One Physical Therapy

Support of Physical Therapists Performing Dry Needling
 

Dry needling is a technique physical therapists use for the treatment of pain and movement impairments.   The technique uses a "dry" needle, one without medication or injection, inserted through the skin into areas of the muscle.

Dry needling is not acupuncture, a practice based on traditional Chinese medicine and performed by acupuncturists. Dry needling is a part of modern Western medicine principles, and supported by research done in part by Physical Therapists.

As part of their entry level education, physical therapists are well educated in anatomy and therapeutic treatment of the body. Physical therapists who perform dry needling supplement that knowledge by obtaining specific postgraduate education and training.  

Trigger Point Dry Needling is in the scope of practice of Physical Therapists and We support this regulation being approved.

I have been safely performing dry needling for 9 years and it has been very effective in managing my patient's pain and dysfunction. To take this modality away would negatively impact my patient's.

CommentID: 73743