Evidence That Dry Needling Is the Intent to Bypass Regulation to Practice Acupuncture in the United States.

The acupuncture technique most often studied scientifically involves penetrating the skin with thin, solid, and metallic needles that are manually or electrically manipulated. Practiced in China and other Asian countries for thousands of years, acupuncture is a key component of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Currently, acupuncture is being practiced in countries all around the globe and is rapidly attracting interest in Western countries. In this context of expanding public and professional interest in acupuncture in the United States, a practice called dry needling (DN) has become a hotly debated topic in both academic and regulatory circles. DN is an issue because some professionals, especially physical therapists (PTs) (and also some chiropractors, nurses, and others) are claiming the right to practice DN, which requires little training, as a practice distinct from acupuncture. DN is viewed by many, especially in the acupuncture community, as a strategic method to bypass laws that require rigorous training and oversight to engage in practice as an acupuncturist. On November 6, 2015, the Journal of Acupuncture in Medicine published an article titled ‘‘Dry Needling Versus Acupuncture: The Ongoing Debate.’’ An accompanying editorial concluded that DN, as used in treating musculoskeletal disorders, is a style of Western acupuncture that, while distinct from traditional acupuncture, is a form of the practice. This commentary reviews the origins of DN and reinforces that conclusion. Whatever rights to practice DN may be asserted or achieved by these professions, the historic evidence shows that there is no denying that DN is a form of acupuncture.