Acupuncture & Dry Needling:What’s the Difference?

There’s quite a lot of confusion surrounding acupuncture and dry needling. What’s the difference? How do they work? Is that what my physio did during my last appointment?

Both are popular treatments and share commonalities, as well as some important differences.

Origin

Acupuncture is a key component of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and has been practiced for 2,500 to over 3,000 years.

Dry needling is a more recent intervention that developed from Western interpretations of acupuncture techniques. It emerged in the 1800s and was researched further in the 1930s and 1940s.

The same sterile, single-use needles are used for both acupuncture and dry needling. As dry needling targets and stimulates specific muscles, the needles usually have a thicker diameter (generally 0.30mm or 0.35mm). Meanwhile, acupuncture points exist all over the body and are not always used to target local muscles, so thinner needles are often used (typically between 0.10mm and 0.30mm wide).

Philosophy & Intention

Acupuncture is practiced within the framework of TCM, with a holistic philosophy of treating the person as a whole. This means that points all over the body (there are 361 standardised points recognised by the World Health Organisation (WHO), and many other extra points) can be used to treat issues across multiple body systems. Acupuncture is commonly used for, but not limited to, conditions related to:

• Stress

• Mental health

• Sleep

• Digestion

• Musculoskeletal issues

• Acupuncture & Dry Needling: What’s the Difference? 1

• Pain

• Fertility

Dry needling is generally performed in the local area with the primary purpose of addressing musculoskeletal conditions by relieving pain and tension. However, from a Western medicine perspective both encourage blood flow to the needling site which carries blood cells that support tissue recovery, and neurochemicals such as endorphins which act as natural pain killers.

What It Feels Like

The sensation of needling may differ from person to person, as everyone’s body might perceive and respond to it slightly differently. Acupuncture is often described as producing feelings of heaviness, warmth, tingling, or a dull ache. Dry needling may produce muscle twitches or a stronger local sensation when a muscle is stimulated. This is because the technique used most of the time in dry needling is done with the goal of getting a reaction from the tissues. Acupuncturists may also use stimulating techniques depending on the treatment, often applied more gently or using alternative methods to achieve the intended effect. Again, acupuncture can be done with the intention of targeting trigger points, but not always.

Training

In Australia, acupuncturists are required to complete a three or four year bachelor degree to be officially qualified. These degrees involve extensive supervised practice in student clinics, building on clinical skills as well as TCM diagnosis and treatment. Dry needling training is available to practitioners (e.g. chiropractors, physiotherapists, massage therapists, osteopaths, etc.) as a short course ranging from two days to sometimes twelve weeks in length. This builds on their pre-existing anatomical knowledge and scope of practice.

Conclusion

In summary, acupuncture and dry needling do share similarities in that they use the same sterile needles, can encourage similar physiological responses from the body, and can both be used to treat musculoskeletal conditions. Their differences lie in their origin, philosophy and training pathways.

Book Your Acupuncture Appointment Today

If you’re dealing with pain, muscle tension, stress, or injury, acupuncture can be a powerful tool to support recovery, improve function, and restore balance in the body.

You can book your acupuncture appointment at our purpose-built integrated health clinic in Mermaid Beach, now open and welcoming new patients. Conveniently located for Gold Coast locals, our clinic brings multiple health services together under one roof to support your overall wellbeing. Click below to book online and start your recovery journey today.