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In Traditional Chinese Medicine the theory of acupuncture is that 'Chi', the body's energy flows in circuits, and it should flow nice and evenly throughout the circuits when we are in good health. Pain for example is usually but not always a blockage of energy.  80% of the time the site of pain is the site of the blockage - these are usually musculoskeletal conditions.  Applying needles on points around the painful area or one or two distal points will usually have a beneficial effect upon the pain so in theory will unblock the blockage. 

 

In my training* which is acupuncture of sports injuries, I have literally touched the tip of this very large iceberg and I incorporate it into soft tissue treatments where it might help improve the overall treatment result of a particular client depending on their goal / expectation.  Some clients find acupuncture to be really effective, others claim not but within a therapists tool bag it is another excellent tool when considering the person in front of me and what they come in for, their expectations and whether we decide to use it or not.  Sometimes it can be the thing that finally helps the nervous system to calm down and for the body to be receptive to soft tissue work and to change.

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Acupuncture and dry needling are to all intense purposes the same: the insertion of fine stainless steel needles in through the skin.  The difference is that one is based on ancient practice of Traditional Chinese medicine to relieve pain, discomfort or issues relating to a person's energy or 'Chi', whilst the other is designed to stimulate 'trigger point's' or muscles that are irritable.  To my mind the if the overall purpose is to improve the well being of the person in front of me then it doesn't matter the intention and the technique are the same.

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* Bernard Nolan at John Gibbons clinic in Oxford.