North Carolina Acupuncture Board Files Dry Needling Lawsuit

North Carolina Acupuncture Board Files Dry Needling Lawsuit

By Kathryn Feather, Senior Associate Editor

In early September, the North Carolina Acupuncture Licensing Board (NCALB) filed a complaint against the North Carolina Board of Physical Therapy Examiners over the issue of dry needling, a form of acupuncture that uses solid needles to puncture the skin and muscle tissue to relieve pain.

The complaint was filed in Wake County Superior Court to "protect the public from the unlicensed practice of acupuncture by physical therapists."

"Acupuncture can only be performed in North Carolina by licensed acupuncturists who have proper training and experience," said Junie Norfleet, NCALB Chair. "We filed this lawsuit to protect the public by preventing individuals with insufficient training from performing acupuncture."

According to NCALB spokesperson Mary Cissy Majebe, the issue goes back to 2014 when the N.C. Board of Physical Therapy Examiners proposed a rule that would have authorized physical therapists to perform acupuncture known as dry needling. In January 2015, the N.C. Rules Review Commission rejected the proposed rule after determining that dry needling is outside the scope of practice of physical therapists in North Carolina. However, despite the ruling, the physical therapy licensing board continues to advice its licensees that they may perform dry needling.

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