Is Dry Needling the same as Acupuncture?  NO, it is not.  In fact, not at all.  Whereas Acupuncture points are always there (based on the meridian system), Myofascial Trigger Points (MTrPs) and other soft tissue injuries, as treated by Dry Needling, are only apparent when the associated pathology is present.  In truth, the only thing in common with Acupuncture is the needle.

Dry Needling has its roots in the application of Trigger Point injections that date back to the 1930s, with Dr. Janet Travell.  The field grew over the next several decades.  In 1979, the renowned Czech Rehabilitation Specialist, Dr. Karl Lewit, published a milestone paper discussing that using a hollow bore needle (like a Dry Needling or Acupuncture needle) produced the same positive clinical results as injections using a pharmacological agent.  This paper spurred on further research and study, and today, it is well known that Dry Needling is an excellent treatment choice for soft tissue injuries, without the side effects of injections that administer pharmacologic agents.   

Dr. David Fishkin, the founder and director of the Dry Needling Institute, has professionals travel from all over the country and world to learn from him.  He has been developing and teaching the technique since 1998 and he has helped lay the groundwork for the application of the technique in numerous states.  It is safe to say that he is one of the pioneers of the technique in the United States.  Dr Marcil received his certification thru the Dry Needling Institute in Rockville, Maryland.



Dry Needling under diagmostic ultrasound allows  for  more accurate treatment, fewer visits and a shortened healing time!