Are Dry Needling and Acupuncture the Same Thing?
At first glance, dry needling and acupuncture may seem like the same practice, just with different names. Both practices use fine, stainless-steel needles. They both are placed strategically into skin with the aim of relieving pain. Upon closer inspection, however, they truly are two separate practices. Here’s how they differ.
Acupuncture 101
Acupuncture has been used in Eastern medicine for hundreds, maybe even thousands of years. Originating in ancient China, acupuncture believes that illness and ailments are directly related to blocked qi. Qi is believed to be healing energy for the body. By inserting needles into specific areas of the body, acupuncture is thought to remove those blockages and allow healing energy to flow freely again.
People seek acupuncture to relieve neck, knee, and back pain, for headaches, menstrual cramps, to lower inflammation and to release endorphins.
Side effects of acupuncture can include bruising, bleeding, and pain at the injection site.
Dry Needling 101
Dry needling is a more modern practice, but it is steadily gaining popularity, specifically in the sports medicine field. During a dry needling session, short, thin, stainless-steel needles are placed into parts of the body that target knots or tense muscles. No fluid is injected into these parts of the body through the needles, hence why the practice is referred to as “dry” needling. Some practitioners use a pecking style in their sessions where they insert the needle into the skin and quickly remove the needle and repeat this in quick succession.
Dry needling is particularly popular among athletes. This is due to the focus on increasing range of motion and reducing muscle stiffness and pain.
The side effects of dry needling are nearly identical to acupuncture. Bruising, bleeding, and soreness of the injection site.
As you can see, acupuncture and dry needling are similar, but different. Both therapies have helped countless people to manage their pain. At our Denver Sports Rehab facility, we focus on treating sports injuries and sport related pain. Thus, we offer dry needling to assist athletes. But even if you are not on a training program, you can still benefit from this treatment. Stop by our facility to learn more!
1-10-2023