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Dry Needling

Dry needling is a method of releasing toxic chemicals that inflame your muscles known as a trigger points (aka “muscle knots”). Trigger points are caused by trauma to an injured area and your muscles react by seizing up to protect it from further damage. This is why trigger points feel like muscle knots and are often painful upon applying pressure. They can cause a myriad of problems from pain in injured and surrounding areas, dysfunctional movement patterns, headaches and migraines, and joint dysfunction.

Does Dry Needling Hurt?

Dry needling uses a very thin solid needle or filament to disrupt the trigger point, or muscle knot, and elicit a “twitch response” which returns that muscle to a normal state by allowing inflammatory chemicals to leave the trigger point, relax the muscle and restore blood flow to the area. Dry needling often uses the same type of needle as used in acupuncture, however while acupuncture remains close to the skin, dry needling penetrates deeper and so requires a physical therapist’s expert knowledge of the musculoskeletal system to administer. While dry needling does penetrate the muscles, the needles are very thin and you may or may not feel the insertion of the needle. Some patients may feel a brief ache or cramping sensation during the twitch response.

“I was pretty skeptical/fearful of dry needling at first but the results are outstanding and worth every second of the treatment. I actually looked forward to the slight tingling sensation the needles provided, as I knew my muscles were being released and the microspasms the needles caused were helping the muscle knots become much smaller and eventually disappear.” – Matt E.

Is Dry Needling For You?

Dry needling is an effective treatment for acute and chronic pain, range of motion issues, joint dysfunction, recovery from injury, and even prevention of pain and injury, with very few side effects unlike trigger point injections which involve the injection of a local anaesthetic, saline solution or steroid into the trigger point which can cause irritation. This technique is suitable for many patients who want to find and eliminate neuromuscular dysfunctions that lead to pain and functional deficits.

    Common Conditions Treated With Dry Needling:

  • Acute and chronic pain
  • Lower back pain
  • Tendonitis
  • Carpal tunnel syndrome
  • Disk pathology
  • Neck/Back Pain
  • Shoulder Pain
  • Tennis/Golfer’s Elbow
  • Hip and Gluteal Pain
  • Headaches
  • Knee Pain
  • Plantar Fasciitis
  • Sciatica

Schedule your dry needling appointment today and relieve your pain!