AMA Against PT’s Doing Acupuncture

April 1, 2018 Joe Brady

According to the American Medical Association AMA Annual June 11-15, 2016 Report [Dry Needling Resolution], Physical therapists are not qualified to be performing acupuncture even if they call it dry needling. Medical practitioners should not be performing treatments that they have not been trained for.

Dry Needling is an Invasive Procedure. This resolution asked our AMA to “recognize dry needling as an invasive procedure and maintain that dry needling should only be performed by practitioners with standard training and familiarity with the routine use of needles in their practice, such as licensed medical physicians and licensed acupuncturists.

See more information from other major Medical organizations about untrained physical therapists performing acupuncture. Click here to read more.

 

Legislature Needs to Act

 Colorado legislature should be deleting an amended, actually added, term in a section of HB18-1155 – Continuation of the Physical Therapy Board.  A seriously dangerous addition to Section 5 (6)(b)(II)(A) (page 5) has been added to the former PT Board’s definition of safe practices.  No other procedure listed in this section is invasive and breaks the skin – a major determinant of what is legally safe in PT practice.  It is called DRY NEEDLING.  Dry needling is acupuncture requiring much less training and increases the risk of medical to the patient. If the procedure goes awry, this can negate the patient’s ability to receive compensation for malpractice, and cause an additional burden to our already overloaded health care system.

 
Here are links to position papers by major medical organizations discouraging this practice.

Dry Needling is Acupuncture

 “Dry needling” is a pseudonym for acupuncture that has been adopted by physical therapists, chiropractors, and other health providers who lack the legal ability to practice acupuncture within their scope of practice. This strategy allows these groups to skirt safety, testing, and certification standards put in place for the practice of acupuncture. Dry Needling is a style of needling treatment within the greater field of acupuncture. The practice of “acupuncture” includes any insertion of an acupuncture needle for a therapeutic purpose. Acupuncture training has always included both traditional and modern medical understanding.  
 
You may call me with any questions on my personal mobile – 303-725-7482.  Please do not wait until more folks get injured by this well-intentioned, but misinformed and dangerous practice.