Acupuncture or Dry Needling in Brisbane: Differences from a Patient Perspective

If you’re considering dry needling or acupuncture in Brisbane, it is helpful to understand what is behind these terms and what benefits acupuncture and dry needling offer.

In essence, trigger point needling, i.e. dry needling, is a subset of acupuncture as defined by The Standard International Acupuncture Nomenclature (WHO, 2007). An acupuncturist may use dry needling techniques, often in a combined approach, but their scope of practice is not limited to it.

Acupuncture or Dry Needling – Applications and History

Acupuncture is part of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and has been practised for over 2,500 years. Acupuncture treats a much broader scope of health complaints like headaches, digestive issues, insomnia and mental health concerns. Dry Needling, in contrast, is limited to musculoskeletal disorders. It targets trigger points in muscles to release tension and improve function.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM),  dry needling techniques have been known as “āshì point” needling, where specific points on the body are treated based on their sensitivity to pressure. Its historical roots trace back as far as 652 CE (Jiang & Zhao, 2016). Dry Needling is a comparably recent notion derived from Western medicine. The term dry needling emerged to differentiate it from procedures involving fluid injection through a hypodermic syringe, often called wet needling (Legge, 2014).  Unlike wet needling, dry needling involves only the insertion of a needle without any fluid being injected. Specifically, research into how injections could both induce and relieve muscle pain contributed to the development of trigger point theory, which eventually led to the adoption of dry needling as a therapeutic technique. In Australia, it is often used by physios, massage therapists and other health practitioners to treat musculoskeletal pain.

Acupuncture or Dry Needling – Techniques

While both methods use the same needles, the techniques and underlying principles may differ. In traditional acupuncture, needles are often left in place for 15–30 minutes, stimulating the body’s energy pathways. Importantly, acupuncturists around the world practice many different styles of acupuncture, including Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Tung’s, Tan’s, Five Elements, Scalp acupuncture and others. An acupuncturist may also include what is known as dry needling techniques such as trigger point acupuncture or motor point acupuncture. Such techniques will involve inserting needles directly into tight muscle knots or trigger points, with or without adding electrical stimulation to the point, and usually without needle retention.

Acupuncture or Dry Needling – Training Requirements

In Australia, registered acupuncturists complete a four-year degree and must be accredited by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). In contrast, dry needling can be performed by various health professionals like physios and massage therapists who may complete a short certification course, sometimes an online course with as little as a weekend of practice.

Acupuncture or Dry Needling – What is the right choice?

If you are seeking support for general health, women’s or men’s health, digestive health, or mental well-being, acupuncture is the therapy of choice. Your acupuncture prescription will be based on Traditional Chinese medicine principles while dry needling techniques are just not applicable to any of these complaints, as they are limited to musculoskeletal concerns.

If you have localized muscle pain or and looking for fast recovery, dry needling and acupuncture are both suitable choices. The outcome lies in the hand of the individual practitioner, their education, skillset and experience. As an acupuncturist, I feel privileged to have the choice of using either dry needling techniques or traditional acupuncture during my treatments depending on the condition and needs of the patients. Trigger and Motor point acupuncture form a huge part of my clinical practice and I love to use these techniques to relieve spasm and restore function in numerous musculoskeletal problems. There is not a single treatment though, in which I would not consider a Chinese medicine diagnosis, include holistic treatment principles and points that aim to balance the patient’s body (including stress and tension), thus aiming to prevent these problems from reoccurring. Sometimes, combining dry needling methods and traditional acupuncture means I can provide the best of both worlds.

Acupuncture or Dry Needling – Book a Session

Would you like to discover acupuncture including dry needling techniques in Brisbane? My Brisbane acupuncture clinic is based in the beautiful heart of Wilston Village and I look forward to welcoming you in our beautiful space.