DRY NEEDLING
(See chart below for education, clinical experience and National Boards in C O M P A R S I O N to different levels of training with Dry needling on the far right)
Dry needling is the use of solid needles (contrasted with the use of hollow hypodermic needles that are used for injections) to treat muscle pain by stimulating and breaking muscular knots and bands. Unlike trigger point injections used for the same purpose, no anesthetics are used. There is controversy regarding the definition of dry needling. Licensed medical physicians and licensed acupuncturists consider dry needling as Western Style Acupuncture or Trigger Point Acupuncture whereby the insertion sites are determined by tender painful areas and tight muscles. These sites may be treated alone or in combination with known acupuncture points. Other practitioners take the position that dry needling is different from acupuncture in that it is not a holistic procedure and does not use meridians or other Eastern medicine paradigms to determine the insertion sites.
Dry needling is an invasive procedure. Needle length can range up to 4 inches in order to reach the affected muscles. The patient can develop painful bruises after the procedure and adverse sequelae may include hematoma, pneumothorax, nerve injury, vascular injury and infection. Post procedure analgesic medications may be necessary (usually over the counter medications are sufficient).
There has been controversy in the United States as to who is qualified to practice dry needling. Since it is an invasive procedure using needles, many take the position that it should only be performed by licensed acupuncturists or licensed medical physicians (M.D. or D.O.). There are other practitioners performing this procedure who have taken a course or courses in this technique but do not routinely use needles otherwise in their practices.
The American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation recognizes dry needling as an invasive procedure using acupuncture needles that has associated medical risks. Therefore, the AAPMR maintains that this procedure should only be performed by practitioners with standard training and familiarity with routine use of needles in their practice, such as licensed acupuncturists or licensed medical physicians.
AAPM&R Policy on Dry Needling | NCCAOM: www.nccaom.org/about-us/press/press-releases/aapmr-policy-on-dry-needling/
Licensed acupuncturists receive years of academic education and training in many acupuncture techniques, including what is now termed “dry needling”. Nearly all states require licensed acupuncturists to meet NCCAOM standards of eligibility and pass national board certification exams. What are the specific requirements for NCCAOM Nationally Board-Certified Acupuncturists™?
To become an NCCAOM Nationally Board-Certified Acupuncturist™, applicants must, at a minimum:
• Complete a minimum of three years or 1,905 hours of postgraduate education, including a minimum of 660 hours of supervised clinical training.
• Graduate with a Master’s degree or Professional Doctorate degree in Acupuncture or Oriental Medicine that is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM). ACAOM is the only accreditation agency recognized for this purpose by the United States Department of Education.
• Successfully pass three psychometrically validated NCCAOM National Board Examinations: o Foundations of Oriental Medicine o Acupuncture with Point Location o Biomedicine
• Document completion of an NCCAOM approved course and assessment in Clean Needle Technique.
• Sign and be held accountable to the NCCAOM® Code of Ethics and Grounds for Professional Discipline. Failure to comply is subject to disciplinary action. NCCAOM National Board Certification and/or a passing score on the NCCAOM certification examinations are required for acupuncturist licensure in 46 states plus the District of Columbia.
What is the NCCAOM? The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) is the only nationally accredited certification organization that assures entry-level competency of acupuncturists. The NCCAOM’s certification programs in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine are accredited by a third-party accrediting body, National Commission for Certification Agencies (NCCA). The NCCAOM’s mission is to assure the safety and well-being of the public and to advance the professional practice of acupuncture and Oriental medicine by establishing and promoting national evidence-based standards of competence and credentialing.
(See chart below for education, clinical experience and National Boards in C O M P A R S I O N to different levels of training with Dry needling on the far right)
Dry needling is the use of solid needles (contrasted with the use of hollow hypodermic needles that are used for injections) to treat muscle pain by stimulating and breaking muscular knots and bands. Unlike trigger point injections used for the same purpose, no anesthetics are used. There is controversy regarding the definition of dry needling. Licensed medical physicians and licensed acupuncturists consider dry needling as Western Style Acupuncture or Trigger Point Acupuncture whereby the insertion sites are determined by tender painful areas and tight muscles. These sites may be treated alone or in combination with known acupuncture points. Other practitioners take the position that dry needling is different from acupuncture in that it is not a holistic procedure and does not use meridians or other Eastern medicine paradigms to determine the insertion sites.
Dry needling is an invasive procedure. Needle length can range up to 4 inches in order to reach the affected muscles. The patient can develop painful bruises after the procedure and adverse sequelae may include hematoma, pneumothorax, nerve injury, vascular injury and infection. Post procedure analgesic medications may be necessary (usually over the counter medications are sufficient).
There has been controversy in the United States as to who is qualified to practice dry needling. Since it is an invasive procedure using needles, many take the position that it should only be performed by licensed acupuncturists or licensed medical physicians (M.D. or D.O.). There are other practitioners performing this procedure who have taken a course or courses in this technique but do not routinely use needles otherwise in their practices.
The American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation recognizes dry needling as an invasive procedure using acupuncture needles that has associated medical risks. Therefore, the AAPMR maintains that this procedure should only be performed by practitioners with standard training and familiarity with routine use of needles in their practice, such as licensed acupuncturists or licensed medical physicians.
AAPM&R Policy on Dry Needling | NCCAOM: www.nccaom.org/about-us/press/press-releases/aapmr-policy-on-dry-needling/
Licensed acupuncturists receive years of academic education and training in many acupuncture techniques, including what is now termed “dry needling”. Nearly all states require licensed acupuncturists to meet NCCAOM standards of eligibility and pass national board certification exams. What are the specific requirements for NCCAOM Nationally Board-Certified Acupuncturists™?
To become an NCCAOM Nationally Board-Certified Acupuncturist™, applicants must, at a minimum:
• Complete a minimum of three years or 1,905 hours of postgraduate education, including a minimum of 660 hours of supervised clinical training.
• Graduate with a Master’s degree or Professional Doctorate degree in Acupuncture or Oriental Medicine that is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM). ACAOM is the only accreditation agency recognized for this purpose by the United States Department of Education.
• Successfully pass three psychometrically validated NCCAOM National Board Examinations: o Foundations of Oriental Medicine o Acupuncture with Point Location o Biomedicine
• Document completion of an NCCAOM approved course and assessment in Clean Needle Technique.
• Sign and be held accountable to the NCCAOM® Code of Ethics and Grounds for Professional Discipline. Failure to comply is subject to disciplinary action. NCCAOM National Board Certification and/or a passing score on the NCCAOM certification examinations are required for acupuncturist licensure in 46 states plus the District of Columbia.
What is the NCCAOM? The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) is the only nationally accredited certification organization that assures entry-level competency of acupuncturists. The NCCAOM’s certification programs in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine are accredited by a third-party accrediting body, National Commission for Certification Agencies (NCCA). The NCCAOM’s mission is to assure the safety and well-being of the public and to advance the professional practice of acupuncture and Oriental medicine by establishing and promoting national evidence-based standards of competence and credentialing.
