In this Shoptalk, I will be sharing with you some critical advice regarding safety when needling GB 21 and the upper trapezius region generally.

My advice comes from having served as an expert witness on a half-dozen cases in which well-intentioned and experienced acupuncturists, trained according to the current standards of the profession, nevertheless caused pneumothorax injuries–one of them fatal.

What’s an expert witness? A neutral professional who reviews evidence and renders opinions in a court proceeding as to whether the acupuncturists’ care was up to standards of the profession–and if not, whether the substandard practice contributed to injuries, pain and suffering. Reviewing these cases has caused me to question some commonly-taught, widely-practiced, but unsafe techniques, and in my own practice, replace them with needle angles, lengths and depths, as well as screening protocols for risk factors, and other techniques that are much better at preventing pneumothoraxes, and yet just as clinically effective–if not more.

Unfortunately, it’s not just dry needlers who cause pneumothoraxes, but they are avoidable. Tune in to learn more!

And visit the Qiological website for more resources and videos from Anthony.