The medical field is diverse, with various treatments for various illnesses, diseases, and conditions. The advancement of technology has brought forth newer and better treatment methods for common conditions like pain and mobility. While you can manage pain with pain medication at home, you could require a more substantial intervention if your pain persists and is disabling. Dry needling is one of the latest techniques medical professionals use to manage pain and treat mobility issues. It is recommended for patients whose pain and mobility problems are related to myofascial trigger points.

The healthcare provider administering dry needling inserts tiny needles near or into the trigger points to stimulate the muscles. This causes the muscles to twitch and contract, relieving pain and improving mobility. But you need to work with a skilled and experienced professional for dry kneeling to produce the desired results.

Dry Needling and Acupuncture

Dry needling and acupuncture are alternative treatments that are gaining so much popularity. While the two involve using needles on the skin to treat, they are different and are used in treating various conditions. Acupuncturists and healthcare workers who do dry needling use the same needles.

However, only a specially trained and certified acupuncturist can administer treatment. They specialize in treating musculoskeletal pain and other conditions affecting various body systems. On the other hand, dry kneeling specializes in muscle tissue, with the aim of pain reduction. A trained healthcare provider can offer dry needling. They use tiny needles to inactivate trigger points, reduce pain, and improve mobility. Typically, dry needling is part of a more comprehensive physical therapy treatment that includes other treatments and therapies.

What Dry Needling Entails

Physical therapists, trained healthcare workers, and acupuncturists use dry needling to manage musculoskeletal movement and pain problems. The treatment is usually part of an extensive treatment plan that includes stretching, massage, exercising, and other physical therapy strategies. The provider penetrates the skin using a small, sharp needle to access and inactivate the myofascial trigger points causing the pain. This treatment usually targets myofascial trigger points, whereby myo stands for muscles and fascia for the connective tissues around those muscles.

Healthcare providers offering dry needling believe the patient has trigger points and knotted and tender parts that form in the muscles. The trigger points are usually susceptible and could be painful. Sometimes, these trigger points are close to the painful area; other times, they cause pain. Sometimes, they cause referred pain, which means that the reason for the pain is from a different body part.

Acupuncturists, physical therapists, and healthcare providers who use dry needling use tiny needles to relieve these trigger points. When the thin needles penetrate your tissues and muscles, they reduce tightness in those areas and boost blood flow to reduce referred and local pain. Note that the needles used are usually solid, without any medication. Hence the name dry needling.

How Dry Needling Works

When you overuse your muscles, they experience an energy crisis whereby the fibers no longer receive enough blood. When that happens, it means that your muscles are not receiving enough nutrients and oxygen, which are essential for the muscles to return to their usual resting state. The muscles close to the trigger points become highly acidic, sensitizing the nerves and making the entire area painful and sore.

Your healthcare provider will recommend dry needling after a thorough examination and a review of your treatment history. By using a thin needle to stimulate the affected trigger point, the healthcare workers boost the blood supply in the affected region. Normal blood flow will flush the painful and sore area and relieve tension. A prick sensation by a small needle also fires the nerve fibers, stimulating the brain to release helpful hormones called endorphins, which are the body’s natural response to pain.

However, the therapist must first locate your trigger points for dry needling. Once they do, they will know the exact area on your skin where to insert the needles. The therapist can move the needles a little after inserting them to obtain a local twitching response or muscle spasm. This reaction indicates that the muscles are reacting to the treatment. You could experience relief immediately after the treatment or need another session or more to improve your pain or mobility.

Note: Dry needling is administered on a painful muscle. Your trigger points will be sad at the time of treatment. Thus, you will experience pain while the healthcare worker locates your trigger point. You will also feel uncomfortable as the healthcare provider inserts the needles into your skin. But the needle is usually tiny and thin, so the pain will be bearable.

Once the needle hits the trigger point, you could experience pain as your muscles produce a twitching response. After treatment, you could feel soreness or tightness at the treatment site. However, it is advisable to keep stretching and moving for improved mobility.

What Dry Needling Can Treat

Healthcare providers, acupuncturists, and physical therapists use dry needling in various applications. This technique can increase mobility and relieve pain across multiple body parts. Here are some common conditions that healthcare providers can treat with dry needling:

  • Disk problems.
  • Joint problems.
  • Tension-related headaches and migraines.
  • Tendonitis.
  • Whiplash.
  • Mouth and jaw problems, including temporomandibular joint disorders.
  • Spinal problems.
  • Repetitive motion issues, including carpal tunnel syndrome.
  • Night cramps.
  • Pelvic pains.
  • Postherpetic neuralgia or complications of the singles.
  • Phantom limb pain.

Who Cannot Receive Dry Needling Treatment?

Your healthcare provider will recommend dry needling if they are sure you need it, whether it will help relieve your pain and improve mobility, and if you are the right candidate. This treatment is not suitable for all people. There are groups of individuals who cannot undergo dry needling. For example, a healthcare worker cannot recommend dry needling to a child younger than twelve because it is painful.

After explaining how dry needling works and why it could benefit you, your healthcare provider must obtain your consent. You can choose other noninvasive pain management options. Other people cannot undergo dry needling and need to consult with a doctor before agreeing to it:

  • Pregnant women.
  • People who cannot understand the nature of the treatment.
  • People who have trypanophobia or fear of needles.
  • Those whose immune system is severely compromised.
  • If you are using blood thinners.
  • If you are recovering from surgery.

It is necessary to discuss your concerns with your therapist before agreeing to dry needling. You should also discuss your treatment history and any medication you are on to help them make an informed decision regarding your treatment.

Preparing for Dry Needling

If you are in pain or experiencing movement issues, and your therapist recommends dry needling as part of your treatment plan, you must prepare well. In most cases, the therapist will recommend an alternative treatment and allow you time to consider it. Within that time, you could find out how it is done, your chances of success, and your risk factors.

Your therapist will first conduct a physical examination of your body, especially the areas that require treatment. They must determine whether dry needling will help alleviate your pain or improve movement. The therapist will also review your medical history to determine whether dry needling suits you. If you have any questions regarding your condition or the treatment, you must ask before treatment commences.

Dressing comfortably on the day you undergo dry needling is advisable. Remember that the procedure could be painful. A comfortable and loose outfit will be ideal. Additionally, ensure that your clothing allows the therapist to access the problem site easily. If not, they will provide you with a gown. They will also ensure you are lying comfortably during the procedure.

What To Expect During and After Treatment

Healthcare providers who perform dry needling must sterilize the needles and other equipment before beginning the procedure. The provider will also prepare the needles. The needles used in dry needling are usually for single use. They are sterile and disposable from the store and have a plastic guide tube to ensure that the provider accurately taps them into the right place. The provider will use the left hand or fingers to palpate the treatment site to locate your trigger point. They will use the other hand to insert the needles into the trigger point carefully.

Healthcare providers usually tap the tiny needles into the epidermis and toss the guiding tube. Here are some of the standard techniques used in dry needling:

  • Superficial technique, whereby the provider inserts the needles up to ten millimeters into the subcutaneous tissues above your trigger point.
  • The deep technique, whereby the provider inserts the needle deeper than the bottom layer of the skin and deep into the muscle to infiltrate the trigger point.

Your provider will choose an ideal technique based on the location of your trigger point. Once the needles are inside your skin, the provider can leave them there for 20 seconds to 20 minutes, depending on how severe your pain or movement issue is. The provider can use a positioning or in-or-out technique to trigger the muscles and inactivate the trigger point.

Sometimes, one small needle is sufficient to deliver the expected relief. But your provider can use two if there is a need. Once they notice a response, the provider can insert more needles. The number ultimately depends on how severe your condition is and the size of the treatment site. For example, a healthcare provider can use up to fifteen needles along the spine when administering back treatment.

Once the treatment session is over, the provider will extract the needles and examine the skin for reactions. You can leave the doctor’s office after that, but rest for a few minutes if you feel dizzy. The provider will advise you to remain hydrated. You could experience soreness in the muscle after treatment, but you are encouraged to continue moving. The soreness can last for up to thirty-six hours. You will also experience minimal bruising at the treatment site, but it should disappear after a week or two.

Dry Needling Benefits

Dry needling is highly beneficial when used as part of a treatment plan. It is generally safe and inexpensive. Since it is non-invasive, dry needling presents a reduced risk of complications. However, it must be performed by a well-trained and experienced healthcare provider.

People who have undergone dry needling have reported excellent results after one or a few sessions. Thus, it can effectively relieve musculoskeletal pain and mobility issues. Dry needling effectively releases trigger points, a technique that can ease muscle stiffness and pain. Releasing trigger points can also improve flexibility and range of motion.

Its Possible Side Effects

Your provider will discuss some side effects you could experience after dry needling. That could also help you make an informed decision.

Typical side effects of dry needling are soreness and pain during and/or after treatment. However, you could experience additional side effects, including

  • Fainting.
  • Fatigue.
  • Muscle stiffness.
  • Bruising at the treatment site.

Your healthcare provider will know the best way to handle these side effects immediately after they occur.

The treatment site could also become infected. Thus, you should carefully choose a healthcare provider and ensure they have the proper training and experience to perform dry needling.

You must consult your healthcare provider immediately if you experience a severe side effect like pain, bleeding, or soreness. It could be an infection or a more severe condition that requires immediate treatment before it worsens.

Find a Competent Holistic Healing Provider Near Me

Pain and movement issues are common symptoms of many health conditions. Depending on the severity and location of your pain or movement issue, your healthcare provider can recommend treatments and therapies, including dry needling. Before consenting to it, understand what dry needling entails, its benefits, its side effects, and if you are the right candidate. Also, choose your healthcare provider well for quality and effective treatment.

We offer a wide range of holistic healing techniques at Trinity Acupuncture. Our providers are highly trained and experienced. We provide a comprehensive physical examination of our patients to recommend the most appropriate treatment. Call us at 310-371-1777 to learn more about dry needling and how it could benefit you.