Dry needling vs Acupuncture: What’s the difference between acupuncture and dry needling?
Dry needling is the practice of inserting needles into myofascial trigger points. This causes the muscle to twitch, contract and release, allowing for decreased muscle tightness, increased blood flow and the reduction of pain. It is mainly used for muscle pain, sports injuries, and movement disorders.
Acupuncture uses the same needles and may even use some of the same points… however it is based on a whole-body system that has been fine-tuned over thousands of years. Practitioners go under extensive training, of not only anatomy but also physiology, pathophysiology, neuroscience, research and statistics, biology, chemistry, western medications, western medical conditions, and differential diagnoses.
Acupuncture aims to restore proper flow and circulation in the body. It does this by using the needles to send signals in the body. We attempt to understand the root cause and possible underlying imbalances that may be causing your symptoms and pain.
Conditions for acupuncture:
- Acute or chronic pain
- Recurrent injuries
- Digestive issues
- Stress or mental health
- Headaches/migraines
- Neurological conditions
- Autoimmune conditions
- Poor sleep
- Menstrual irregularities
- Uterine conditions
- Hormonal imbalances
- Urination/bowel conditions
- Fertility
- Pregnancy support
- Skin issues
Or a combination of a few (everything is connected!). If you have a condition that is not listed here, give us a call/email and we can chat about how acupuncture can assist you.
For pain conditions, I use a technique called distal needling. This means I will rarely place needles directly into the area of pain. Instead, I’ll choose points further up or down the channel of pain, which I find stronger and less invasive.
I like to see your test results, compare them before and after treatments.. I like to be in communication with your specialists or GPs… and I like to know as much as I can about you, your history, and lifestyle. This helps me to create the most accurate diagnosis and treatment plan, catered to your body.
Michelle
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