Dry Needling
-What is it?
(Also known as trigger point dry needling or intramuscular manual therapy) is a technique used by Physical Therapy Doctors to treat pain and movement impairments. A “dry” monofilament needle is inserted, one without medication or injection, into areas of the muscle. Dry needling is not acupuncture. Dry needling is a part of modern Western medicine and is supported by research.
-How it works
Dry needling is usually part of a larger treatment plan which include manual therapy, therapeutic exercises, and functional training.
Dry needling can release/ inactivate trigger points to relieve pain or improve range of motion. Research suggests that dry needling improves pain control & reduces muscle tension. Study findings also show that dry needling can normalize dysfunctions of the motor end plates, from which nerve impulses get transmitted to muscles. Dry needling also helps greatly with recovery due to it’s effect on increasing the areas blood flow, This can help speed up the patient’s return to active rehab.
-Conditions Treated
- Muscular impairment (Pain, Spasms or Severe muscle tightness)
- Chronic spine pain (neck and low back impairments)
- Tendinitis (Rotator Cuff, Achilles)
- Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis)
- Joint pain/ dysfunction (Shoulder, Elbow, Knee and Ankle)
- Sciatica/ Piriformis Syndrome
- Headaches (Migraine, Tension and Cervicogenic Headaches)
- Temporomandibular Joint Pain
