2026 Trigger Point Acupuncture / Dry Needling 1

2026 Trigger Point Acupuncture / Dry Needling 1 is organized by Myopain Seminars and will be held from Sep 11 - 13, 2026 at Ontario College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Downtown, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Description:
The Trigger Point Acupuncture / Dry Needling 1 course is designed to provide acupuncturists with an evidence-informed approach to the assessment and treatment of myofascial trigger points (TrPs). This course incorporates an in-depth understanding of anatomy, palpation skills, and clinical reasoning along with the scientific understanding of trigger point pathophysiology, muscle dysfunction, and muscle referral patterns. As there are many differences and similarities between dry needling and acupuncture, this course has been designed to bridge the gap and emphasize the similarities to broaden the acupuncturist's scope of practice. The course content of this course is similar to the DN -1 course, but only the Trigger Point Acupuncture / Dry Needling course series has been approved by the NCCAOM and the California Board of Acupuncture.

Course Objectives:
At the conclusion of this 3-day course, participants will be able to

• Demonstrate two types of palpation techniques used to identify a trigger point (Flat vs Pincer)
• Demonstrate proper identification of the three key features of a trigger point
• Compare & contrast three basic principles of dry needling and acupuncture
• Demonstrate proper identification of 25 muscles of the body by surface anatomy and function
• Name at least four anatomical structures to avoid when needling the SCM muscle
• Demonstrate two different dry needling methods for the psoas major muscle