Trigger Point Dry Needling Courses & FAQs

Dry Needling involves multiple advances of a filament needle into the muscle in the region of a "Trigger Point'. The aim of Dry Needling is to achieve a local twitch response to release muscle tension and pain. Dry needling is an effective treatment for chronic pain of neuropathic origin with very few side effects. This technique is unequalled in finding and eliminating neuromuscular dysfunction that leads to pain and functional deficits. The needle used is very thin and most subjects do not even feel it penetrate the skin. A healthy muscle feels very little discomfort with insertion of this needle. However if the muscle is sensitive and shortened or has active trigger points within it, the subject will feel a sensation like a muscle cramp -'the twitch response'. The patient also may feel a reproduction of "their" pain which is a helpful diagnostic indicator for the practitioner attempting to diagnose the cause of the patients symptoms. Patients soon learn to recognise and even welcome this sensation as it results in deactivating the trigger point, reducing pain and restoring normal length function to the involved muscle.

Prior knowledge or experience of Dry Needling is not essential for successful completion of the Level One course. All participants are required to start with the Kinetacore Level 1 course regardless of previous TDN or like training. Kinetacore teaching a specialized and specific theory and application of dry needling that no other school or course teaches and therefore you must start with the Level 1 Introductory course as all other courses will be built upon this specific theory, technique and application.

These courses are ideal for graduates of schools of Physiotherapy, Osteopathy and Chiropractic. This course is also ideal for practitioners who have experience in the evaluation and treatment of acute and chronic pain disorders as well as those clinicians who are seeking alternative, immediate and effective treatment options for the athletic population.  Professions that may participate in TDN training are those that have the ability to puncture the skin under the scope of practice.  Those include but are not limited to Physical Therapists (depending on the state of practice), Medical Doctors, Physician's Assistants, Nurse Practitioner, Registered Nurses, Chiropractors, Licensed Acupuncturists, etc.  The course is developed based on the anatomy and physiology education of a physical therapists and practical and theoretical exams are based on this as well. 

For physical therapists in Colorado, there is a requirement of a minimum of 2 years of clinical experience before registering for the level I TDN course.

These courses have been approved and accredited by both the New Zealand and Australian Physiotherapy Associations. This means the course contents and objectives have been scrutinised by these associations who have endorsed their content and learning objectives. It means that Physiotherapists planning to participate in this course will be certified to perform Dry Needling techniques on their patients immediately following the workshops. Physiotherapists will receive a total of 52 CPD points for the Level One course and approximately 34 CPD points for the Level Two course. Other professions will need to check with their association to ascertain applicable CPD points.

In the US, the KinetaCore TDN courses have been widely accepted as a quality education for dry needling. In Colorado, the KinetaCore Dry Needling courses are conditionally approved by the Department of Regulatory Agencies.  Physical therapists completing their initial Level I training can practice dry needling, of the muscles instructed in Level I, while completing their needling log in order to qualify for the Level II course.  Participants must complete their log of 200 patients and submit it to course instructors prior to qualifying for Level II instruction.  Colorado physical therapists must complete their training within 6-8 months of starting their training per Colorado's specific rules and regulations.  KinetaCore will attempt to schedule Level II courses at times that will coincide with the 6-8 month time constraint for Level I trained course participants.  Trigger Point Dry Needling is pending or has currenly been accepted in the scope of practice for physical therapists in the following states; Alabama, Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, and Virginia.  If you are interested in pursuing TDN being allowed in your state please contact us as we may be able to assist you in doing so.

 

Does this course count toward Continuing Education Units?

The Level I course has been approved for 2.15 CEU's in Houston and is currently under review in Nevada. The course is approximately 23 contact hours.

Can I still take the course if my state does not list TDN in the PT scope of practice?

You may still take the course but it will be your responsibility to know the laws and regulations for your state. if you are interested in persuing the process of getting TDN accepted in your state, let the KinetaCore staff know and we will assist you in any way we can.

Successful completion of the Level I course will provide you with skills and knowledge to begin utilizing the treatment immediatly.  If you plan to take the level II course or are practicing in Colorado, it is required that you log performance of the TDN treatment on a minimum of 200 subjects before taking the level II course.  Please note if you are practicing in Colorado it is required that you take a level II course within 6 months of completing the level I course, and if level II is not completed you must cease performing the TDN technique.

The quick answer for this is YES.  However, payment is dependent on the sate you practice in and your specific insurance contracts.  This topic is covered more thouroughly in the courses regarding some of the variables you may encounter with billing.

The focus of the level I course is treatment for pain management and sport related injuries. Participants successfully completing the Level One and Two courses will be able to treat pain and dysfunction originating from myofascial active trigger points that can lead to conditions such as; tendonopathies, movement impairments and other orthopaedic and sporting conditions of the following areas:

Level I	Level II
Hip	Advanced Hip
Lumbar Spine	Advanced Lumbar Spine
Thigh	TMJ/Face
Cervical Spine	Advanced Cervical Spine
Shoulder	Thoracic Spine
Upper and Lower Extremity	Advanced Upper and Lower Extremity

The most common cause of nerve irritation and neuropathic pain is underlying spinal degeneration (i.e. spondylosis of the spine), which can be a result of trauma and/or normal wear and tear. Spondylosis irritates the nerve root and leads to neuropathy which can result in muscle shortening. This process leads to pain and dysfunction in many common acute and chronic conditions that practitioners see in every day practice. The introduction of a dry needle into the active trigger sites of these muscles can provide enormous relief of symptoms.

Dry Needling may also be used for acute and chronic sporting injuries such as:

• Muscular haematomas
• Muscle tears
• Compartment syndrome
• Medial tibial stress syndrome (shin splints)
• Rotator cuff injuries
• Tennis/golfers elbow

The application of Dry Needling techniques for the above conditions will be demonstrated during these courses.  In level II, participants will be instructed in advanced techniques which will include the use of a needle plunger. The level II is considered advance based on the learning outcomes gained in level I and/or for safety reasons.

Dry Needling can also be used for spinal conditions where the underlying pathology may have triggered a movement disorder. This can result in the presence of reduced ROM or pain due to abnormal muscle tone or spasms. Such conditions may include:

• Piriformis syndrome
• Cervico-genic headaches
• Sciatica
• Hamstring issues

Common lower extremity conditions treated with Dry Needling include:

• Patellar Femoral Syndrome
• Patellar tendonitis
• Hamstring Strain
• Groin Strain
• Shin-splints; Compartment Syndrome
• Achilles tendonopathies

Common upper extremity conditions treated with Dry Needling include:

• Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• Lateral Epicondylitis (tennis elbow)
• Medial Epicondylitis (golfers elbow) 
• Impingement syndromes

It is not required unless your state has a specific hour requirement like Colorado, North Carolina, and Louisiana which would require both Level I and Level II to be completed before considering a PT independently able to perform the technique. Therefore, it is optional for PTs practicing in states other than those to take the Level II TDN course. You do not have to register for both courses at the same time.  It is a requirement that a log of 200 treatment sessions is completed prior to taking level II.  The state of Colorado requires Level II to be completed within 6-8 moths, we do not have a time frame requirement.  For clarification on this requirement please visit the page on your particular state on our website. (The log can list the same patient on different days, 200 sessions not 200 patients).

All course participants will be provided with an extensive illustrated course manual describing and depicting all the theory and course material covered during the 2 or 3 day workshops. All participants will also take away a starter pack (Level One) inclusive of a 'sharps container' and quality Sensei needles allowing you to effectively administer Dry Needling in your practice immediately following the completion of the course.

Level Two participants will receive a comprehensive manual as well as a needle plunger used for advanced techniques.

You will also be provided with pre-reading material to prepare you for the course.

Supplies used for TDN and therapy treatment will also be available for purchase at the end of the course and through our website.

KinetaCore courses boast having the best cuisine available for its course participants. Healthy food for a healthy mind! A main course meal will be provided each day of the course.

You will receive a certificate of completion for each level once you attend the course and successfully pass the course exams.  This is not an accredited certification through a university, but you are certified through kinetacore upon passing the exam. The certiificate will list your name, where and when the course occurred and the amount of contact hours (27 for each TDN course, 54 for both Level I and Level II).  The course does qualify for CEU's, some of the states Kinetacore has applied for CEU's and others you will need to apply individually.  See the scope of practice by state for more information.

The level I dry needling course is designed to prepare the trainee to practice dry needling immediately upon returning to the clinic Monday morning.  Theoretical and practical testing will be administered during the Sunday session and participants will be expected to display an appropriate level of competency prior to receiving their course certificate.

As Of August 2011 KinetaCore has instructed 35 Introductory Level 1 Courses and 13 Level 2 Advanced Courses.  Since 2008 we have trained over 734 providers across the United States and Canada.

With your registration fee you will be provided with all of the supplies needed during the course.

Depending on the brand, we highly recommend using Seirin brand, and size of needle they typically run between $10-$20 per box of 100 needles.  We highly Each TDN session will vary in how many needles you will use, but on average you will probably use 10-20 needles per patient session.  In the course we use 5 different sizes of needles.  This will be discussed in detail during the course.

.25 x 30mm

.25 or .30 x 40mm

.30 x 50mm

.30 x 60mm

.50 x 100mm 

You will also need gloves (nitrile recommended), sharps containers - $5-15 each, Alcohol Pump (alcohol & cotton balls) - $15 (You can also use alcohol swabs if you prefer), and we highly recommend a stim unit - $150.

You may order your supplies through various suppliers, we will provide you with that information during the course.