Dry Needling:

Discover How To Finally End Long-Term Nagging Injuries, Release Tension In Tight Muscles, Stimulate Inactive Muscles, Reduce Unwanted Stiffness, Get Rid of Recurring Headaches, Naturally - Without Any Nasty Side Effects

What is it?

Dry needling is a skilled technique performed by a physical therapist using filiform needles to penetrate the skin and/or underlying tissues (trigger points, muscular and connective tissues) to affect change in body structures and functions for the evaluation and management of neuromusculoskeletal conditions, pain, movement impairments, and disability. (FOSBPT 2015)

Dry needling is NOT acupuncture, a practice based on traditional Chinese medicine and performed by acupuncturists. DRY NEEDLING focuses on reducing pain, accelerate healing and helps reduce muscle tension. Dry needling is a part of modern Western medicine principles and supported by research (1).

Reference

1. Cummings MT, White AR. Needling therapies in the management of myofascial trigger point pain: a systematic review. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2001;82(7):986–992. Free Article.

Can I Benefit From Dry Needling?

Dry needling has been successful in treating multiple ailments, including:

  • Back pain
  • Neck pain
  • Headaches
  • Arthritis
  • Strains and sprains
  • Hip pain
  • Knee pain
  • Sciatica
  • Tendinitis
  • Tennis elbow
  • Golfer's elbow
  • Foot and Hand pain
  • And more

If your symptoms can be helped with Dry Needling, your therapist will suggest it to you- but if they don't, you shouldn't be afraid to ask since it can be incorporated into many recovery programs.

How Does It Work?

Dry needling focuses on reducing pain and accelerating healing through a deep understanding of the relationships between our bodies and our central nervous system. Specifically, dry needling is another form of soft tissue mobilization. Preliminary research supports that dry needling improves pain control, reduces muscle tension, increases range of motion, and normalizes dysfunctions of the motor end plates, the sites at which nerve impulses are transmitted to muscles (2). This can help speed up your return to active rehabilitation.

A thin filament needle is inserted into the skin to stimulate trigger points in connective and muscle tissue. Trigger points can make it painful to perform everyday activities and often radiate pain to other areas of the body. Dry needling focuses on stimulating those trigger points, which has been shown to reduce pain and speed up your recovery process.

Watch a dry needling treatment, learn conditions it may be used for, and more.

References

2. Kalichman L, Vulfsons S. Dry needling in the management musculoskeletal pain. J Am Board Fam Med. 2010;23(5):640–646. Free Article.

But Does It Hurt?

This is the most common question asked by Elko Spine Physical Therapy clients considering Dry Needling treatment. The majority of clients report no pain when the needle is placed. Once the needle is inserted into the trigger point, there can be a dull ache or a twitch response within the muscle. This is a great sign indicating the trigger point is being released and the treatment is working. This sensation is very fast. Discomfort can be dependent upon the body part as well. Some areas of the body, particularly the calves, hands and feet can be a little bit more uncomfortable than the large muscles of the glutes, shoulders and back. So, it does depend on where you are having the treatment done. Technique can be modified to increase comfort. Needles are significantly smaller than those used to inject medications, hence rarely does a patient ever report it feeling similar in nature.

One of the many benefits of dry needing is that it has few risks or side effects. Sterile and disposable needles are always used. Dry Needling is a safe therapy.

Will Ones Session Cure Me?

A dry needling session usually lasts about 20-30 minutes. Some clients will experience relief after one session.

Whether this relief continues is determined on a per-client basis. Chronic and complex conditions may require several return appointments.

If you're currently a client at our clinic, don't hesitate to ask your therapist about dry needling.

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