Dry Needling vs Acupuncture: How to Know Which is Best for You

When considering treatments for pain the argument of dry needling vs acupuncture often comes up. Acupuncture is a popular option for those looking for relief from pain or other negative symptoms. However, as you’ll learn below, dry needling is also an excellent choice that many people are turning to these days.

You may even be wondering about the potential health risks involved in both acupuncture and dry needling. This article will help you understand what dry needling and acupuncture both involve and how they differ from one another. After you’re done reading this article, you will have a good idea of if dry needling or acupuncture will help you handle pain. We will offer some helpful tips on when it might be best to choose one over the other.

Though these two treatments might seem very similar, they have subtle but important differences when choosing which one to use.

An example of what dry needling vs acupuncture needles look like.

Table of Contents

What is Dry Needling?

First, it’s important to define what each of these treatments looks like. This will help you better understand dry needling vs acupuncture. Dry needling is a relatively new treatment that uses thin needles to penetrate the skin in order to treat muscle pain and tension. The needles used for dry needling are thin steel and inserted deep into the muscle.

Dry needling is usually done by a physical therapist or a doctor who is specifically trained in dry needling. In some cases, your insurance might cover this treatment if you have muscle pain that’s not responding to other treatments. This is a common treatment in sports where the physical activity takes a toll on an athlete’s body.

If someone wants to be certified in dry needling they need to take a course that teaches them how to be safe and sanitary while dry needling.

What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture, on the other hand, is not new–it has been around for centuries. It’s a Traditional Chinese Medicine treatment that uses thin needles inserted into specific points on the body to relieve pain and other symptoms.

The practice of acupuncture involves stimulating these specific points with needles in order to restore balance within the body and improve overall health.

It’s important to note that acupuncture isn’t just for treating pain – it can also be used to treat conditions like anxiety, infertility, and even addiction.

Though acupuncture does have some risks associated with it (like any medical procedure), it is considered very safe when performed by a certified practitioner.

Acupuncture involves the use of needles to release energy in your body that’s blocked by pain. The goal of treatment with acupuncture is to help you manage chronic conditions and emotional distress related to these painful areas

The treatment involves inserting thin needles into energy points in your body called “meridians.” The goal is to create balance within the energy points throughout the entire body.

Acupuncture works well for many people because it’s a holistic type of treatment that focuses on treating you as an individual and not just focusing on one part of the body. Acupuncturists believe that pain can be linked to other areas or systems in your life, so they’ll take this into account when looking at how painful symptoms are affecting your overall health.

Dry Needling vs Acupuncture: What’s the Difference?

At a glance, these two treatments look very similar. They both use thin needles that are inserted into certain parts of the body to alleviate pain. But the are differences between dry needling and acupuncture. It’s important to discuss these differences so that you can know which one is best for your specific health needs.

Muscles vs Energy Points

As you consider dry needling vs acupuncture, the goals of each treatment are important to understand. Dry needling is solely based on inserting needles to places where muscles might be sore, tight, or aggravated. The needles are inserted to encourage the muscle to release. Blood flow also increases where the needled is inserted, so

Acupuncture, on the other hand, is based on stimulating certain points in the body that are thought to correspond with different areas or systems in your life. Acupuncturists believe that pain can be linked to other areas or systems in your life, so they’ll take this into account when looking at how painful symptoms are affecting your overall health.

Dry Needling vs Acupuncture: Who Can Perform These Treatments?

Dry needling is typically done by a physical therapist or doctor who has been specifically trained in dry needling techniques. Acupuncture, however, can be performed by certified acupuncturists as well as chiropractors and naturopaths.

This is one of the main differences between the two types of treatments. If someone wants to be a licensed acupuncturist, they have to take an extensive course on Traditional Chinese Medicine. Then they must pass licensing exams before being legally able to practice this type of medicine professionally.

Dry needling is much easier to become licensed in. A physical therapist who specializes in dry needling will also complete training programs similar to ones used by traditional doctors or nurses who are trained in more conventional medical procedures like injections or suturing wounds back together after surgery. They may even become board-certified through their state if they’re treating

If you’re interested in getting dry needling done, make sure you find someone who has been specially trained to perform dry needling treatments. In some cases, a physical therapist might have training specifically related to dry needling.

Dry Needling vs Acupuncture: Philosophies Behind the Practice

Dry needling is based on similar scientific principles as acupuncture–if you insert a small needle into an area, blood flow and healing will increase. But acupuncture also has a spiritual aspect to it. Acupuncturists believe that there are energy points in the body that need to be balanced in order to achieve optimal health. Those who use acupuncture believe that you get sick if the energy flow is disrupted in your body. Acupuncture can help restore the energy flow throughout your body.

Dry Needling vs Acupuncture: Which is Better for You?

Now that you know a little more about the differences between these two treatments, it’s important to decide which one is right for you. If you’re looking for a holistic treatment that takes your entire health into account, acupuncture might be the better choice for you. But if you’re specifically looking to relieve pain in certain muscles, dry needling may be a better option.

Dry Needing vs Acupuncture: Two Positive Options

Both dry needling and acupuncture help support healing and recovery in your body. When deciding the right one for you, it’s all about what you are comfortable with. If you want to focus on relieving specific pain or revitalizing your whole body, dry needling and acupuncture provide powerful options.