What is Dry Needling?
Dry needling is the practice of inserting thin “dry” needles (needles without medication or injection) into targeted areas of muscle. When a muscle becomes taut and develops trigger points that do not respond to stretching, massage, or electrical stimulation, dry needling can serve as an added treatment to facilitate muscle relaxation. Inserting needles in or near trigger points can cause the muscle to contract, increase blood flow to the area, and stimulate nerves to facilitate relaxation.
Who would benefit from dry needling?
Trigger points in the muscle can result in localized or referred pain as well as decrease range of motion of the associated joint. Using dry needling to target and release trigger points can assist in decreasing an individual’s pain and restore range of motion. Dry needling has been shown to be an effective way to help patients return to active rehab including therapeutic exercise to maintain improvements in pain or range of motion long term.
What to expect:
Trigger points are often painful to the touch, therefore, you may experience some discomfort when your physical therapist is applying pressure to locate areas to place a dry needle. Some individuals feel no pain or a pin prick sensation when the needle is inserted. Once placed in a trigger point patients may note some discomfort with the twitch response of the muscle. If the placement is ever too painful the needle is simply removed and another region is trialed. Afterwards you may feel some soreness or tightness, therefore, it is important to continue moving and stretch afterwards.
Request an appointment for more information or to see if you would benefit from dry needling!
Sources:
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https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/16542-dry-needling
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https://www.choosept.com/health-tips/dry-needling-physical-therapist-what-you-should-know
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