Action | Practice of dry needling |
Stage | Proposed |
Comment Period | Ended on 2/24/2017 |
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I am both an acupuncturist and physical therapist. There is not even one min in physical therapy program that is involved in needling, dry needling or acupuncture, whatever you call it. The needling knowledge and techniques cannot be learned outside of credited schools less than 300 hours, not mention only 50 or 60 hours in uncredited continue education situation. I don't know why the physical therapists who want to do needling don't go to credited acupuncture programs to learn acupuncture so he/she can be well trained for needling. The only reason is that both the learners and teachers of dry needling want to save or make money at the price of putting the patients at the least importance position.
This is USA, nobody can limit physical therapist from learning needling and practice needling if they are really interested in helping patients with needles. The most important thing is that they need to get appropriate education and training prior to doing needling on patients.
The practice of needling without proper training should be prohibited in any angle if patients are put at the most important position.