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Differentiating between the treatment of dry needling and acupuncture is often difficult if you are only looking at the two in a picture. Both dry needling and acupuncture utilise very thin needles, which an expert inserts into specific points of the body to treat various conditions and symptoms, like pain. 

But that is pretty much where the similarities end. There are unique qualities to each treatment, which help differentiate it from the other. In this guide, we will have a closer look at the two and figure out what their major differences are. Acupuncture has been around for many years and has found its uses as an alternative treatment to many conditions, while dry needling has been adopted somewhat recently. Acupuncture relieves pain, discomfort and other issues by restoring an individual’s energy flow, while the other stimulates trigger points and irritable muscles. Knowing such differences is good since you can better make an informed decision of which practice is best for you. 

What is dry needling? 

This is a modern treatment, developed to aid with muscular pain. During the usual treatment, a practitioner inserts filiform needles into specific points of your skin. These are very fine needles, which don’t inject any fluid into the body – hence the term ‘dry’. These needles go into trigger points in tissue or muscle. That is why the treatment is often also called intramuscular stimulation. When the needles are inserted, they help relieve muscle pain and potentially any spasms that you may be having. 

A form of dry needling is the in-and-out technique, which means needles don’t remain in the skin for long. The needles just prick the trigger points and are then removed from the area. Another way to utilise dry needling is to treat the central nervous system, as part of a non-trigger point treatment. Instead of directly inserting needles in the area of pain, the practitioner does so around it. 

Physical and sports therapists often resort to dry needling. The treatment option provides relief for muscular stiffness and pain. Because working on the trigger points improves flexibility and the range of motion, the method works for many sports injuries and even fibromyalgia pain. 

The side effects are mostly mild to none. There might be some bruising around the injection, and temporary soreness, which should be quick to dissipate. 

What is acupuncture? 

Acupuncture originated in Asia a long time ago. Currently, it is licenced acupuncturists who practice it. At its core, acupuncture leads from the belief that any illness results from interruption of the life energy chi inside every person. Through acupuncture, practitioners aim to return the energy balance of the body and restore natural flow. 

It can treat many conditions, like nausea, pain, headache, allergies and menstrual cramps. Some have even used it as a treatment for infertility and addiction. 

For pain, in particular, acupuncture has been found to provide good results for knee pain and low back pain. It can greatly reduce neck pain, as well as help with migraines and headaches. According to research, the effect is pretty much the same as using medication for pain. The World Health Organisation has recognised acupuncture for treating many conditions, not just physically-related ones. 

When the treatment is performed by a trained specialist, there is very little risk of any side effects. Occasionally, there may be bruising and pain at the injection site, but these symptoms don’t last very long. 

When it comes to acupuncture vs dry needling, there is a large portion of personal preference that must be taken into consideration. There is more research on acupuncture and its benefits, since dry needling is a rather new one, although both can be helpful. 

© The Acupuncturist Ltd