What is Dry Needling?
What is Dry Needling?Dry Needling is a general term for a therapeutic treatment procedure that involves inserting an ultra-thin filament needle into a sore muscle, or “trigger point” in the body that produces pain. There is no injectable solution and the needle that is used is very thin.
When the thin needle is inserted into the muscle, it triggers a natural response that is believed to allow the muscle to relax and thus relieve pain.
Dry needling is an effective treatment for acute and chronic pain, rehabilitation from injury, and even pain and injury prevention, with very few side effects. This technique is unequaled in finding and eliminating neuromuscular dysfunction that leads to pain and functional deficits.
What does a Dry Needling treatment feel like?
Most patients will not even feel the needle penetrate the skin, but once it advances into the muscle, the discomfort can vary from patient to patient. Usually a healthy muscle feels very little discomfort upon insertion of the needle; however, if the muscle is sensitive and shortened or contains active trigger points, the patient may feel a sensation much like a muscle cramp, often referred to as a ‘twitch response”. The twitch response also has a biochemical characteristic to it which likely affects the reaction of the muscle, symptoms and response of the tissue.
The patient may only feel the cramping sensation locally or they may feel a referral of pain or similar symptoms for which they are seeking treatment. A reproduction of their pain can be a helpful diagnostic indicator of the cause of the symptoms. Patients soon learn to recognize and even welcome this sensation, as it results in deactivating the trigger point, reducing pain and restoring normal length and function of the involved muscle.
How is Dry Needling different than Acupuncture?
There is very little difference between dry needling and acupuncture. Unlike acupuncture, dry needling is not based on Traditional Chinese Medicine. Both methods rely on ultra-thin needles inserted into trigger points to facilitate relaxation and recovery. Click here for more on acupuncture at Astra Performance Health.
How many Dry Needling treatments will you need?
Typically, positive results are apparent within 2-4 treatment sessions but can vary depending on the cause and duration of the symptoms, and the overall health of the patient.
Will Dry Needling help you?
Chiropractors at Astra Performance Health use dry needling to identify and treat pain trigger points. To learn more and see if dry needling can help you, contact us online or call us at (913) 345-4840. We are currently accepting new patients.