Dry Needling / Trigger Point Acupuncture San Diego

12/25/2025

For four years, a woman in the Philippines regularly prayed to a small green statue she believed represented the Laughing Buddha. The figure sat on her home altar, where she offered incense and quiet devotion, never questioning its true origin.

Everything changed when a friend visited and recognized the statue as Shrek, the iconic animated character. Instead of reacting with embarrassment or anger, the woman reportedly laughed and chose to continue her routine, explaining that the intention behind her prayers mattered more than the object itself.

12/25/2025

Christian Bale's quiet but powerful contribution to the foster care system has been years in the making. For 16 years, the actor has been working on the development of a $22 million foster village in Palmdale, California, known as Together California. The project, which broke ground in early 2024, aims to provide a stable, nurturing environment for foster children, especially those who have lost their parents. The village will feature 12 family-style homes to keep siblings together, plus transitional apartments for teens aging out of the foster care system, along with a 7,000-square-foot community center for education, therapy, and recreation.

Bale, motivated by the heartbreaking fact that many siblings are separated in foster care, began planning the project in 2008. Over the years, he has worked quietly behind the scenes, securing funding and support from Hollywood figures, including Leonardo DiCaprio. His dedication to the cause is evident in the village's mission to support not only the children but also the transition of older teens into adulthood.

The village is expected to open in 2025 and will serve around 70 foster children. Bale’s ongoing commitment to giving back and improving the foster care system is a powerful reminder of the impact one person can have on an entire community. This initiative shows the real meaning of using one's success for the greater good, providing hope and stability to those who need it most. 🌟🏠

12/25/2025

Hungary has rolled out solar heated tunnel shelters designed to protect stray and homeless dogs during harsh winter weather. The structures collect heat from sunlight during the day and keep it trapped overnight, offering warmth and shelter when temperatures drop below freezing.

Animal welfare organizations say these tunnels are already making a real difference. By reducing the risk of hypothermia, the shelters give vulnerable dogs a safer place to rest and a better chance of surviving extreme cold conditions.

08/27/2025

Neuromodulation vs Trigger Point Release
In clinical practice, acupuncture can influence the body in different ways depending on
whether needles are retained for a period of time or applied specifically to tight, painful muscle
bands known as trigger points. Both methods are valuable, but they operate through distinct
mechanisms. This paper explains the difference between neuromodulation through needle
retention and trigger point release.
Neuromodulation (Needle Retention)
When acupuncture needles are retained, they continue to provide a steady input to local
nerve endings. This input does more than affect the tissue at the needle site. It alters how the
spinal cord and brain process sensory information, a process known as neuromodulation. By
sustaining stimulation, the nervous system shifts its balance: pain signals are dampened,
muscle tone is adjusted, and the autonomic nervous system is influenced. Neuromodulation
can calm overactive pain pathways, regulate stress responses, and even affect mood and
sleep. Neurochemicals such as endorphins, serotonin, and GABA are released, helping the
body reset its baseline toward healing and relaxation. The effects are systemic, extending
beyond the immediate needle location, and may last even after the needles are removed.
Trigger Point Release
Trigger points are hyperactive spots within muscle fibers that cause local tightness and often
refer pain to other areas. When an acupuncture needle or manual pressure is applied to a
trigger point, it can produce a brief twitch response in the muscle. This reflex action resets the
abnormal motor endplate activity, relieving the contraction and allowing blood flow and
oxygen to return to the area. Trigger point release primarily has a local effect. Patients often
feel immediate relief of muscle tightness, increased range of motion, and a decrease in
localized or referred pain. Unlike neuromodulation, this effect is not aimed at broad systemic
regulation, but rather at resolving a specific muscular dysfunction.
Conclusion
In summary, neuromodulation and trigger point release represent two different yet
complementary approaches. Neuromodulation reshapes how the nervous system processes
signals, creating systemic changes in pain perception, stress, and autonomic balance. Trigger
point release directly addresses dysfunctional muscle knots, providing localized relief and
restoring healthy muscle function. Both methods are important tools in acupuncture and dry
needling practice, chosen based on the needs of the patient and the goals of treatment.

07/26/2025

file:///var/mobile/Library/SMS/Attachments/dc/12/203A7E2D-7877-4DBA-8D1F-4A43C4E0C04B/Trigger_Point_Acupuncture_Timeline_China.docx

The Evolution of Musculoskeletal and Trigger Point Acupuncture in China
By Dr. Geno Diveley, DACM | Acujin Acupuncture

Introduction
Trigger point acupuncture and musculoskeletal needling in China reflect a rich fusion of classical Chinese medical traditions and modern anatomical and physiological science. While ancient Chinese physicians long recognized painful tender points (Ashi points), the 20th century brought global collaboration that expanded China’s acupuncture models with modern neurophysiology, electromedicine, and sports medicine.

Timeline of Development
Pre-Han Dynasty (~200 BCE)
Ashi points (阿是穴) described in classical Chinese texts such as the Huangdi Neijing as tender areas that cause pain on palpation—clinically similar to modern trigger points.

Tang to Ming Dynasties (600s–1600s)
Manual therapy and needling of painful muscle knots described in acupuncture case records, martial arts texts, and traumatology manuals (e.g., Die Da practices).

1800s (Late Qing Dynasty)
Electric stimulation begins appearing in Western medical texts; Chinese physicians observe Western doctors using galvanic and faradic currents to stimulate nerves. Early electroacupuncture experimentation begins in treaty ports.

1910s–1930s
Integration of Western anatomy and neurology into Chinese medicine education begins in Republican-era reforms. Acupuncturists start mapping nerves and muscles under acupoints.

1950s–1960s
Chinese military and sports hospitals formalize Ashi point needling and add basic neuroanatomy into acupuncture training. The use of electroacupuncture becomes widespread in state hospitals.

1980s
China opens to international medical collaboration. Influence of Janet Travell and David Simons’ myofascial trigger point theory enters Chinese rehab hospitals. Chinese translations of Western rehabilitation and pain science texts appear.

1990s–2000s
Universities and research hospitals in China conduct EMG and ultrasound studies on acupuncture points, muscle innervation, and fascial planes. Terms like 'myofascial trigger points' (肌筋膜触发点) become common in Chinese literature.

2010s–Today
China’s acupuncture education integrates modern musculoskeletal knowledge, including motor point location, neuroanatomy, and fascial line theories (inspired by Langevin, Stecco, Myers). Trigger point therapy is used interchangeably with Ashi point needling. Electroacupuncture is standard in orthopedic acupuncture protocols.

Summary
Trigger point acupuncture in China is not a Western import but an evolution of indigenous techniques informed by international science. Ashi point needling, muscle palpation, and electrostimulation are now supported by decades of research on neuromuscular physiology and fascial dynamics. Chinese medicine continues to adapt and innovate, merging traditional insight with biomedical precision.

Clinic Info
Dr. Geno Diveley, DACM

Website: https://acujinacupuncture.com

Phone: 858-272-4627

Address: 4225 Balboa Avenue, San Diego, CA 92117

05/21/2025

Not all dry needling is created equal.
At our clinic, we combine modern trigger point therapy with the precision of acupuncture. It’s called Dry Needling Acupuncture—and the results speak for themselves.

More training. Better targeting. Real pain relief.

Tried PT dry needling? Come feel the difference.

#

05/17/2025

I often wondered if he only studied just trigger point or painful areas in general, great find about the Needle Effect. He didn't stimulate the areas of pain. he never called what he did acupuncture or dry needling but his work can be used to explain what happens when needles are instered into painful areas to alleviate pain.

05/17/2025

"All trigger points are ASHI points, but not all ASHI points are trigger points."

* ASHI points (阿是穴) are acupuncture points that are tender or painful on palpation, regardless of their location on the meridian, off the meridian. They are essentially "Ah yes!" points—where the patient feels pain and you treat.
* Trigger points, as defined in modern myofascial pain theory (Travell & Simons), are a specific subset of ASHI points. They are:
* Hyperirritable spots in a taut band of skeletal muscle.
* Associated with characteristic referred pain patterns, local twitch response, and sometimes autonomic phenomena.
So:
* Every trigger point qualifies as an ASHI point due to its tenderness.
* However, ASHI points can also be tender fascia, ligaments, tendons, or even non-muscular regions with no taut band or referred pain—so they don’t meet the diagnostic criteria for trigger points.

04/01/2025

Understanding Dry Needling Within the Scope of Acupuncture

A Modern Clinical and Legislative Perspective

Dry needling and acupuncture are not opposing practices. When performed by a licensed acupuncturist, dry needling is one of several clinically validated techniques used within the broader scope of acupuncture. From a legislative and regulatory standpoint, it is important to understand that dry needling is not a separate modality—it is a technique that falls within the training, licensure, and professional responsibility of acupuncturists.

Defining Dry Needling

Dry needling refers to the use of a solid, filiform (non-hollow) needle to stimulate dysfunctional tissues such as:

Myofascial trigger points

Tendinopathies and muscle adhesions

Motor points

Neurologically sensitive areas

This technique is used to restore normal tissue function, reduce pain, improve range of motion, and enhance neuromuscular control. It is a modern application based on contemporary biomedical science but shares mechanisms with established acupuncture practices.

How Dry Needling Fits Within Acupuncture

Licensed acupuncturists are comprehensively trained in:

Neuroanatomy and musculoskeletal diagnosis

Needling techniques for soft tissue dysfunction and pain management

Channel theory, fascial pathways, and traditional diagnostics

Techniques such as electroacupuncture, motor point therapy, and trigger point release

Dry needling, when performed by an acupuncturist, is not a separate discipline but an orthopedic and neurofunctional application of acupuncture needling. This distinction is critical when discussing scope of practice and public safety.

Clinical Mechanisms: Shared Foundations

Research demonstrates that both acupuncture and dry needling activate similar physiological responses:

Local blood flow regulation and vasodilation

Neuromodulation via A-delta and C-fiber stimulation

Central nervous system regulation and spinal cord excitability modulation

Reduction in inflammatory markers and increase in endogenous opioids

These responses are not exclusive to one discipline but are a result of needling itself, which licensed acupuncturists are rigorously trained to apply across diverse patient conditions.

Legislative Consideration: Public Safety and Provider Competency

Licensed acupuncturists undergo thousands of hours of clinical and didactic education—far exceeding the limited training hours required in some dry needling certifications outside the acupuncture profession.

Acupuncturists are subject to strict regulatory oversight, board examinations, continuing education, and malpractice standards.

Positioning dry needling as a separate scope risks public confusion and allows undertrained providers to perform invasive procedures without adequate competency.

Summary Statement for Policy Makers:

Dry needling is a technique that falls within the established scope of acupuncture practice. Efforts to define it as separate ignore both the clinical science and the training qualifications of licensed acupuncturists. For the safety of patients and the integrity of health care, dry needling should be regulated within the scope of licensed acupuncture professionals who are already fully trained to use this method responsibly, effectively, and ethically.

Prepared by: Dr. Geno Diveley, DACM, L.AcClinic Director, Acujin Acupuncture – San Diego, CA
www.acujinacupuncture.com | (858) 272-4627

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