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
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7/25/19  5:44 pm
Commenter: Fiona Potts

Strongly support dry needling by physical therapists
 

I strongly support physical therapists doing dry needling as they see fit. There's no reason to take away their ability to perform a therapy that they have been properly and adequately trained to do.

I receive dry needling from my physical therapist, and it has been an important part of my therapy that I otherwise wouldn't have had access to. I've tried other types of physical therapy, but dry needling has had the biggest impact on my recovery.

I trust my physical therapist and appreciate her medical background. I wouldn't feel as safe or comfortable going to an acupuncturist, and even if I did, I would not be getting the same treatment that my physical therapist administers. 

It shouldn't be up to the acupuncture union to determine what treatments physical therapists can perform. The treatments I recieve should be a matter for me and my physical therapist to decide, and no one else. If my physical therapist thinks dry needling is the best treatment, then she should have the freedom to provide it. In fact, to not provide might be considered a violation of her medical oath to do no harm. Not providing the right treatment would certainly harm me by delaying my recovery. 

CommentID: 74242