Dry Needling

Dry needling is a safe, minimally discomforting, and effective technique for a wide variety of musculoskeletal issues, such as shoulder, neck, heel, hip, and back pain. During a dry needling procedure, a physical therapist will insert a thin, sterile needle into the skin to shut down the muscular trigger points. A trigger point is a local contracture or tight band in a muscle fiber that can disrupt function, restrict range of motion, referred pain, or cause local tenderness. When a dry needle is applied to a dysfunctional muscle or trigger point, it can decrease banding or tightness, increase blood flow, and reduce local and referred pain.

The length of the needle will depend on the area of your body that is being dry needled. Most patients feel little or no pain as the needle is inserted. The needles are typically used once per muscle and then discarded.

Dry needling is used alongside other therapies to treat many conditions, including:

• Joint problems
• Disk problems
• Tendinitis
• Migraine and tension-type headaches
• Jaw and mouth problems (such as temporomandibular joint disorders or TMD)
• Whiplash
• Repetitive motion disorders (like carpal tunnel syndrome)
• Spinal problems
• Pelvic pain
• Night cramps
• Phantom pain
• Post-herpetic neuralgia (pain left behind by shingles)

 

Once the procedure is complete, your physical therapist will work to create an individualized plan that uses the benefits of dry needling along with other therapies. It’s important to note, dry needling is not the same as acupuncture. It uses similar tools, but that’s where the similarities end.

 

Pain affects how your body moves. It is thought that dry needling changes the way the brain and muscles talk to each other to let the system return to a more normal movement pattern. A patient may experience different sensations when being needled. Muscle soreness, aching and a muscle twitch when a needle is inserted is considered to be a good sign. If you want to know more about this special treatment, contact us today to consult with a physical therapist to see if this may be right for you!