You must have heard of the process of dry needling, where the solid needles are inserted into the sore muscles to reduce the tension or pain, or that’s what the medical professionals claim. But a lot of people are talking about this method lately in the country, and that’s because it somehow doesn’t look like a professional way of treating something like this, or it might appear somewhat brutal on the surface. So, let’s talk about the legality aspect of Dry Needling in the United States. Here we go.
Why Is Dry Needling So Controversial?
The main disagreement involves the people who perform the procedure. Physical therapists think dry needling is well within their scope of practice, as they are already used to working with muscles and pain management. On the other hand, the practice of acupuncturists is quite the same, so according to them, they are the only ones who can do it as they are the only ones who are familiar with the needles’ application.
One more thing that should be discussed is the lack of uniformity in qualification requirements. There are professionals who only attend a short course on the weekend, while others are obliged to do a more intensive training program. The presence of such a huge difference poses a hazard to the safety of the public. Although these are rare incidents, such as very serious cases, we have the information that improper acupuncture procedures have caused nerve injuries or even puncture of the lung.
Where Is Dry Needling Not Allowed?
As of now, five U.S. states do not allow dry needling:
- California
- Hawaii
- New York
- Oregon
- Washington
Even licensed physical therapists in these states are not allowed to perform this very procedure.
Some states are still unclear, you know, like, meaning there’s no official “yes” or “no” on the matter. And just so you know, these states include:
- Connecticut
- Michigan
- Missouri
Essentially, in these areas, the local health board has the final say in dry needling activities of a provider under the local regulations.
There is a good side to this, though, as well. As of now, at least 38 states still have dry needling on the list of legal procedures, provided the physicians are eligible and have the necessary training and license in a particular state.
Why Are the Laws So Different from State to State?
The problem is that the laws in the United States of America regarding health are different. In other words, each state defines which activities a practitioner of the healthcare sector can perform legally. For example, in some states, dry needling is labeled as part of acupuncture therapy, and therefore, the license of an acupuncture specialist is the only one that allows it. On the opposite side, in other states, the therapy part of physical therapy is entitled to perform dry needling, and hence, PTs are the ones who are authorized to do that.
In one of the situations, the method is considered invasive as it implies the use of needles that penetrate the body. The legislation in the state may require the consent of a doctor to allow such a procedure. Therefore, in a case where a PT delivers dry needling service outside the legal area, they should be ready to face any penalties even if nothing untoward occurs.
