What Conditions Are Treated With Dry Needling?
Dry needling is a technique physical therapists use to address muscular-skeletal pain and movement disorders. It’s usually combined with other therapies like exercise, massage and stretching for maximum effect. Learn more about this treatment at our Dry Needling page.
Trigger Points
Trigger points are tight and irritated areas in your muscles that can cause intense pain and tenderness. They may also restrict range of motion and impair muscle function. Treating trigger points can be done in several ways. Dry needling is one of the more popular techniques to loosen up muscle tightness.
This procedure involves inserting a needle into the trigger point and administering medication to loosen muscle fibers. The procedure takes around half an hour, with effects lasting up to seven days after treatment. Trigger points can form due to a variety of causes, such as mechanical overload, muscle inefficiency, repetitive use, fatigue, trauma and inflammation. When these conditions combine they create an advantageous feedback loop which leads to the development of trigger points.
Myofascial Release
Myofascial release is a manual treatment that alleviates chronic pain, muscle and joint dysfunction by restoring mobility to fascia – the connective tissue of the body. It often works in combination with stretching and re-education of movement patterns. Visit our Home page for more information on our services.
Myofascial trigger points can cause pain and stiffness throughout the body, making it difficult to move or perform everyday activities. Our physical therapists utilize trigger point dry needling therapy to address these knots of tight muscle, increasing flexibility while relieving discomfort.
Trigger point dry needling, also known as trigger point dry needling, involves inserting small, fine needles into muscles at active and latent trigger points that cause pain referral. This causes these muscles to reflexively contract and release, improving muscle flexibility.
Some healthy muscles may experience mild discomfort when the needle is moved into a trigger point. You may then experience what’s known as a local twitch response – an indication that your trigger point is responding to treatment.
Muscle Strains
Muscle strains occur when a muscle is stretched beyond its usual range of motion or is overworked and damaged. They may also develop from repetitive use of the same muscle over time, such as during sports or at work.
In most cases, an injury to the muscle fibers causes pain, swelling and bruising as well as loss of strength and range of motion. Doctors grade strains from first degree (mild) to third degree (severe), depending on how much muscle damage has been done.
Dry needling is an effective and safe treatment for muscle strains, providing immediate pain relief, improved mobility and strength in the injured area. Patients often report feeling better after just one session but multiple sessions may be necessary in order to achieve optimal results.
Joint Pain
Dry needling is a manual therapy used to treat various conditions, such as muscle and joint pain. It is a relatively new method that uses short needles to release trigger points or pressure points in muscles.
A licensed physical therapist or chiropractor may use this technique to reduce tension in specific muscles and knots, as well as increase flexibility and range of motion. To schedule an appointment, visit our Contact Us page.
During treatment, your provider will palpate (feel) your trigger point with one hand and place a plastic guide tube over it with their other. This helps them tap in the needle accurately while working with one hand.
Dry needling involves inserting a needle 5-10 millimeters deep into a muscle or trigger point to stimulate it and initiate your body’s natural response to reduce pain. Studies have demonstrated that dry needling has more effects than either sham or placebo treatments at relieving pain.