Dry Needling Versus Acupuncture: What You Need to Know
- Sarah Welch, L.Ac
- Apr 1
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 8
Discover who is qualified to perform dry needling, what the experience is like, and how it can alleviate pain!
Do you know the difference between dry needling versus acupuncture? The answer is simpler than you might expect!
Dry Needling Versus Acupuncture: What They Both Treat
Both therapies use very tiny needles to treat all kinds of musculoskeletal pain including, but not limited to:
neck pain, whiplash
shoulder pain, rotator cuff pain
low back pain, sciatica
joint pain in elbows, hips, or knees
tendonitis, tennis elbow
temporomandibular pain (known as TMJ)
migraines and tension headaches
What Practitioners Can Offer Dry Needling?
After completing a dry needling course (which is typically completed after about 27 hours of instruction), "dry needling" can be offered by the following professionals:
physical therapists (PT)
chiropractors (DC)
athletic trainers (AT)
other healthcare providers who have completed a “dry needling” certificate course
What Practitioners Can Offer Acupuncture?
“Acupuncture” is performed by:
licensed acupuncturists (L.Ac.)
It varies slightly state-to-state, but in order to become an acupuncturist one typically must complete 2-4 years of graduate school and hundreds of supervised clinic hours.
Can Acupuncturists Offer Dry Needling? YES!
“Dry needling” is just one way to use a needle, a technique that has also been called “ashi needling” in Chinese medicine. The difference between dry needling versus acupuncture comes down to the training and licensure of the practitioner. They are the same needles used in basically the same way. But, if a practitioner doesn’t have an acupuncture license they can’t legally call it acupuncture, so they call it dry needling.
What Does Dry Needling Feel Like?
The needles might feel intense, but they shouldn’t feel sharp, stabby, or painful. Most people describe an achy, heavy, or twitchy sensation that can actually feel like relief, or “hurts so good”.
How many treatments will I need before I feel better?
You should expect to feel relief right away. However, the goal is to solve the pain for good. Most people come once a week for at least a few weeks in a row, depending on the nature of the injury. Once the pain is solved, many people don’t need to keep coming back.
Some people may need to come in for occasional “maintenance” acupuncture if work, hobbies, or bad posture habits are causing the same strain over and over again.
How can I expect to feel AFTER Dry Needling?
After your treatment, you should notice an immediate improvement in pain and range of motion. You may also feel "needle sore", the kind of ache you get after lifting weights. That goes away in a couple of days, but the benefits will remain.
The comfort and efficacy of your treatment depends on the skill of your practitioner. Imagine getting a new tattoo, you would want to find an artist who not only can draw on paper, but who also has put in a lot of time practicing with needles.
Bottom line: The more time a practitioner has spent practicing with needles, the better their technique will be, and the better results you will get, with less pain. If you don’t get good results, try a different practitioner.
Ready to Book Your Dry Needling Treatment?
If you're local to the greater New Orleans, LA area, we'd be happy to introduce you to your first (or 50th!) dry needling session! Our clinic is located in downtown New Orleans. Check out our availability and schedule your first treatment here.
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