Dry Needling vs. Acupuncture

You may have heard your physical therapist, chiropractor or physician talk about dry-needling. They may tell you that it is nothing like acupuncture. While dry-needling is a more "westernized" approach to pain management that has been getting more popular in recent years, trigger point needling has been a part of acupuncture practice for thousands of years!

We routinely use points known as “ashi” (ah-sure) which are located in tender areas of muscles, joints, tendons and ligaments and not necessarily on meridians or channels. Targeting trigger points with acupuncture needles to create a twitch response is one of the many techniques a licensed acupuncturist could use to address your pain.

So, what is the difference between dry needling and acupuncture at BAC?

At BAC, we use acupuncture to address your body as a whole - not just the areas of pain and tension. We primarily treat pain distally (or away from where the pain originates), we do this for many reasons that you can read about below here: BAC Goes The Distance

That being said, trigger point needling can be very effective for creating immediate change in tight and painful soft tissue. When we are able to access the area of pain, and if a patient wants more direct "dry-needling" style treatment, we are happy to do so.

Another difference is the needling technique. Dry needling tends to use an intense needling technique, with few points, and the needles stay in for about 15-20 minutes, sometimes with electrical stimulation attached. At BAC, our needle technique is more gentle (although we can still produce a big twitch release) and we provide a full treatment, addressing any other concerns you may have. You are able to rest with the points for up to an hour - we believe this gives your body the time and the space to loosen surrounding fascia, increase blood flow, and create a new homeostasis in a painful area, all while your nervous system is taking a much needed break.