Acupuncture vs. dry needling
In my pelvic floor physical therapy clinic, I often use dry needling to release tense muscles.
Provided that a patient is not afraid of needles and doesn’t have a condition that would make needling unsafe (such as a bleeding disorder, for example), dry needling can be a great tool to help reduce pain and improve mobility.
People often confuse dry needling with acupuncture and though they are similar, they are not the same. This post will go over the similarities and differences between the two treatments.
The similarities and differences of acupuncture and dry needling for pain
Both acupuncture and dry needling can address pain and both involve thin needles being inserted into the skin. But the two treatments have different philosophies behind them and in my opinion, this is the biggest difference between the two treatments.
Acupuncture comes from traditional chinese medicine whereas dry needling is a contemporary treatment. Due to these differences in origin, the theories behind each differ. Acupuncture hopes to realign the flow of energy, while dry needling aims to reduce muscle tension.
For this reason, in acupuncture done by a licensed acupuncturist, acupuncture needles can be placed in a seemingly unrelated area of your body; for example, if you have back pain, a needle may be placed near your ear.
Conversely, when a clinician such as a physical therapist performs dry needling, needles are generally inserted directly into or near the muscle that is causing you pain.
Acupuncture also targets a wider variety of ailments than dry needling does. It aims to help with systemic issues such as allergies and insomnia, whereas dry needling mostly targets musculoskeletal concerns.
Why does dry needling reduce pain and muscle tension?
I am not trained in acupuncture so I cannot speak on why inserting needles in the body would realign energy or why that would help treat disease.
But in dry needling, there are a few theories as to why needles help reduce pain and muscle tension. They are:
To release trigger points
Some people believe that tight knots of tension, called trigger points, can form in a muscle, and that inserting a needle directly into the trigger point helps to release the tension there.
To stimulate healing
Others acknowledge that needling creates a small wound which then starts the body’s natural healing response. This involves both increasing blood flow to an area and rebuilding tissue in that area. (Our body’s natural ability to heal is why cuts or bruises don’t last forever!) So if we intentionally start this process in a tight or painful muscle by using needling, it can aid in recovery.
To reset the nervous system
Finally, my favorite theory is that dry needling “resets” the nervous system. I often describe pain like an alarm system that is overly sensitive. This is because pain is a good thing sometimes as it can alert us to danger: if we put our hand on a hot stove, feeling pain alerts us that we need to pull our hand away before we get seriously burned. However, in a lot of cases, our body sends us a pain signal when there actually isn’t any impending danger, ie our pain system is just a bit too sensitive. This happens often in lingering pain, such as those pains often seen in PT clinics. Just as we would want to reset an alarm system that was going off for no reason, we also want to reset a pain signaling system that is sending us too many signals. Using a painful stimulus (ie a needle) can be an easy way to reset the body’s relationship to pain because it shows the body what actual pain is so that it can then recalibrate its perception.
More similarities and differences between dry needling and acupuncture
Both acupuncture and dry needling are provided by licensed professionals who have had hundreds if not thousands of hours of training in their fields.
Both do carry similar risks with the most common risks being mild bleeding, bruising, or soreness at the area where needles were inserted.
Both can offer similar relief for muscle pain or tension.
You may hear people refer to acupuncture and dry needling as the same thing but they are not. I’m guessing that if someone uses the terms interchangeably, then it’s because either someone is mistaken and does not know the differences between the two, or because someone is trained in both acupuncture and dry needling so can perform either.
So then if you’re deciding between dry needling vs. acupuncture, which should you try?
Physical therapy is a great place to start if you have pain that is localized to a muscle or joint (such as neck pain, low back pain, hip pain), or if you have pain that is nerve-related (such as sciatica).
If you have non-specific pain (such as pain that’s sometimes in your knee but other times in your wrist), have a bodywide condition such as allergies or depression, or have muscle or joint pain but have already tried conventional treatments like physical therapy without success, then you would be a better candidate for acupuncture.
If you are still unsure, many acupuncture and dry needling practitioners will speak to you about whether or not they think they could help you before taking you as a client.
In my practice, I offer complimentary discovery calls so that I can answer your questions before we decide to move forward with an appointment. I want to make sure that you’ll be a good fit for my practice before scheduling you.
Dry needling can be a wonderful treatment tool, but it is just that, a tool in my toolkit.
I don’t need to use it if a patient does not want it and even when I do use it, I also use many other treatments such as soft tissue work, mobility exercises, strength training, and other tools to help me provide holistic care to get to the root cause of your symptoms!
Where to get dry needling in Durham
If you have questions about dry needling or pelvic health physical therapy, I’d love to chat. I offer both dry needling treatment and pelvic floor PT inside my Durham clinic.
Please reach out by completing a contact form here or by scheduling a discovery call. And feel free to let me know if you’re interested in including dry needling as part of your treatment plan.
