Dry Needling
What Is Dry Needling?
Trigger-point dry needling is an intra-muscular treatment where a filiform needle is inserted into myofascial trigger points within a muscle. There are many proven mechanisms by which this process effects resting muscle tone and muscular pain.
How Can Dry Needling Help Me?
Muscle tightness is one of the most common causes of musculoskeletal pain. It can reduce circulation, increase pain, and impede proper movement mechanics. Dry needling is one of the most effective methods for releasing trigger points within a muscle to restore tissue health and reduce pain. The effects last longer than other treatments because the stimulus is inside the muscle and acts on more mechanisms of the tissue state. We also see chronic muscle guarding and tightness with fitness athletes that have higher volume programs or have high activation patterns of certain muscle groups (upper traps). Dry needling can be highly effective in these individuals to reset the resting muscle tone and allow for improved recovery.
What Should I Expect?
We will perform a soft tissue assessment to ensure dry needling is appropriate and if indicated, dry needling treatment will be performed. Electrical stimulation is often used in conjunction with dry needling to improve muscle relaxation. Patients may experience soreness within the muscle for up to 48 hours after treatment. The process is not typically described as painful. Brief discomfort is felt when the needle is inserted into a trigger point causing a local twitch response. All of our therapists are certified in dry needling and have years of experience with this technique.