Everything Dry Needling
Dry needling is an invasive intervention used to treat myofascial pain and the associated impairments. It involves inserting a small monofilament needle into a muscle or muscles to release shortened bands of muscle and reduce trigger point activity. There are many hypotheses regarding the mechanism of dry needling, however, the results of needling are consistent across research studies and include reduced pain, improved range of motion, and improved muscle performance.
Dry needling can additionally be an effective tool for interrupting the cycle of chronic pain. By inserting the needle into muscle tissue and creating a localized release of tighter fibers, it can reduce the impact of referred pain cause by those hyperalgesic regions of muscle. It additionally has an important effect on the nervous system, reducing spasms and altering how pain signals are modulated in the central nervous system. By promoting an increase in blood flow, the increase in oxygen and nutrients delivery further promotes healing and reduces inflammation, reducing the pain response.
Dry needling can be used as a great adjunct to many other treatments or interventions. When combining dry needling with other interventions, such as physical medicine or movement re-eduction, it creates a great window of opportunity to further address other players impacting your pain experience. It is a great tool to allow for retraining of movement patterns so that you can continue to move better and live better.
So, if you’re wondering is dry needling is right for you, then you should start by asking yourself a series of questions.
Are you experiencing any muscular pain?
Do you have any limitations in mobility that are negatively impacting your ability to exercise or participate in activity?
Do you have any recurring “knots” or spasms in areas that continue to elicit pain or tension?
If you answered “yes” to any of the above questions, then you would likely benefit from dry needling. Again, this tool is proven time and time again to help in reducing pain, improving range of motion, and improving muscle performance. In combination with other interventions and treatment strategies, it can be very effective in creating meaningful change that helps you live a pain-free life.
If you are wondering about the impact dry needling could have on your life or pain, reach out with any questions or inquiries. It just may be the thing you’ve been looking for to break through your pain experience.
Robert Boyles, Rebecca Fowler, Derek Ramsey & Erin Burrows (2015) Effectiveness of trigger point dry needling for multiple body regions: a systematic review, Journal of Manual & Manipulative Therapy, 23:5, 276-293.
