Acupuncture or dry needling involves the insertion of very thin needles through your skin at strategic points on your body. A key component of traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture is most commonly used to treat pain. However, the specific goal of its use will depend on the practitioner that is applying it.
Any registered healthcare professional that is trained and certified in acupuncture or dry needling can use it (including chiropractors, physiotherapists, osteopaths, or registered massage therapists). Each practitioner using it may have a different reason for their application and the goal they are hoping to achieve.
The difference is mainly in the philosophy and rationale for the use of the needling and why they are being inserted into specific points in the body. However, the goal of the treatment is often the same, that being mainly for pain relief.
