01/06/2026
Ask Dr. Neil Prain
What is the difference between Acupuncture and Dry needling?
The difference between the two modalities/techniques comes down to education, clinical hours of training required, standards of practice and fundamental theory background and focus for the modalities.
Acupuncture when performed by a Registered Acupuncturist incorporates signs and symptoms from the patients whole body, careful observation and analysis
of the tongue and careful palpation and reading of the pulse. This information is then incorporated with signs and symptoms (self reported and observed) to create a pattern in Chinese medicine diagnosis relying on the theory and foundations of Chinese medicine diagnosis. The goal of treatment is to understand the underlying causes for disharmony, pain, tension and disease and use acupuncture points to treat both symptoms (eg. neck tension) and underlying root causes ( eg. stress , postural habits ).
Dry needling is a technique used by physiotherapists, chiropractors, medical doctors, physical therapists and other health practitioners to needle into muscles with the goal of releasing tight muscles and stimulating nerves. To help for relaxation, tension and pain release.
Dry needling is often an additional training for health professionals used as a technique in their therapeutic toolbelt for improved clinical outcomes. Whereas acupuncture is one of the main modalities focused on in Traditional Chinese Medicine with years of study, hundreds to thousands of hours of clinical training required and stringent licensing exams and provincial and national board overview.
Both modalities use filiform needles for their practice, involving both superficial or deep insertion of needles to achieve their respective clinical outcomes.
Education and awareness of both modalities helps the public to know which practices to seek out for their own goals.
