DRY NEEDLING VS ACUPUNCTURE
“Dry needling is not at all the same as acupuncture. Acupuncture is part of Traditional Chinese Medicine, whereas dry needling is a western medicine technique, which needs to have a medical diagnosis. There is a clear scientific understanding of dry needling, and it carries not spiritual “baggage” as acupuncture may do.”
|
Acupuncture |
Dry Needling |
|
|
Point location |
Meridian or non-meridian points. |
Trigger points located by palpation. |
|
Needles |
Sterile, single use , blister packed filiform surgical steel needles with a metal, plastic or rubber handle. May also be made of gold or silver. |
Sterile, single use, blister packed filiform surgical steel needles with a metal, plastic or rubber handle. |
|
Practitioners |
Trained, licensed and registered practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). |
Physiotherapists, Chiropractors, Medical Doctors, Homeopaths, Osteopaths. |
|
Duration of session |
Needles left in situ for up to 20min, occasionally indwelling for a few days. |
Needles manipulated and removed following elicitation of multiple local trigger points. |
Sources:
http://www.crystalinks.com/acupuncture.html
http://www.sutherlandphysio.com.au/dry-needling/
Image: google images
