Dry Needling is a medical technique performed by a skilled physical therapist to immediately reduce pain, muscle tension and improve mobility. It is used in a variety of musculoskeletal problems including, but not limited to: acute or chronic injuries, headaches, neck pain, back pain, tendonitis, muscle spasms, Sciatica, Hip or knee pain, muscle strains, fibromyalgia, tennis or golfer’s elbow, overuse injuries, and much more.
What Is Trigger Point Dry Needling?
When most people think of President John F. Kennedy, they don’t think of his scoliosis or his personal White House physician Janet Travell who coined the phrase “trigger points.” Trigger points, Travell discovered, are hyperirritable spots within a taut band of contracted skeletal muscle that can produce pain and other symptoms in other parts of the body.
Trigger points often develop as a result of overuse, poor posture, impaired body movements, and physical trauma. Dry needling, as developed by Travells, is a method by which a specially trained practitioner uses a solid filiform needle to penetrate muscle tissue to “deactivate” the trigger points.
Benefits of trigger point dry needling
- Reduces the concentration of chemicals surrounding trigger points
- Heals chronic injuries of muscles, tendons, and joints
- Decreases the sensitivity of trigger points
- Alleviates long-standing pain and tension
- Stimulates muscles
- Banishes knots in muscles
- Restores normal muscle functions
- Improves blood flow at a deep level
- Expedites healing time
- Prevents injuries
- And so much more!
Is this Acupuncture?
There are many similarities and differences between dry needling and acupuncture. Licensed physical therapists in a growing number of states can use dry needling under the scope of their practice. Our Physical therapists are not licensed acupuncturists and do not practice acupuncture. In contrast to most schools of acupuncture, dry needling is strictly based on Western medicine principles and research.
What can be treated by Dry Needling?
Dry Needling can be used for a variety of musculoskeletal problems. When combined with traditional physical therapy and the advanced manual therapy techniques, we have had success in treating most pain-related problems from head to toe and from acute to chronic conditions.
If you suffer from Fibromyalgia, myofascial pain syndrome, TMJ, dental discomfort, arthritis, nerve irritation, ligament strains, herniated discs, or have any pain in your knees, hips, back, hands, wrists, elbows, shoulders, neck, head, ears, or eyes, then consider trigger point dry needling as the answer to your pain-free prayers.
As athletes push the envelope to become bigger and faster or to reach new goals, recovery becomes an essential phase in the process. Often times dry needling can be used to speed up this recovery time and allow the athlete to return to training or to playing more quickly.
Is Dry Needling Painful?
Don’t let pain be your normal. Our experienced trigger point dry needling practitioners can carefully deactivate your trigger points with Travell’s technique. While trigger point dry needling is not the most comfortable procedure—it creates a toothache-like feeling (sometimes sharp, sometimes dull) with soreness lasting from a couple of hours to a few days—our practitioners sensitively approach the skin. Pain that has plagued you for years can disappear in a couple of sessions depending upon the extent of your trigger points and dysfunction. Contact Us Today at Windham and Goffstown, NH Centers to learn more about our dry needling therapy.