What is Dry Needling (DN), or Trigger Point Dry Needling (TPDN)?
Dry needling is a technique that physical therapists and other trained healthcare providers use to treat acute and chronic musculoskeletal pain and movement issues. It’s almost always used as part of a larger pain management plan that could include exercise, stretching, massage and other techniques. During this treatment, a provider inserts thin, sharp needles through your skin to treat underlying myofascial trigger points.
Dry Needling vs acupuncture – What’s the difference?
Dry needling isn’t the same as acupuncture. Both procedures involve penetrating your skin with needles. They use the same type of needles, but that’s where the similarities end.
Different providers with different training perform dry needling. Acupuncture is performed by licensed acupuncturists and based in Eastern medicine, while dry needling is based in Western medicine and evaluation of pain patterns, postures, faulty movement patterns, and orthopedic testing.
Acupuncture treats musculoskeletal pain but also treats other systems of your body. Dry needling treats muscle tissue with the goal of reducing pain, inactivating trigger points, and improving movement. Typically, it’s used as part of a broader physical therapy approach that includes other physical therapy treatments.
Benefits of Dry Needling
DN treatment of active trigger points improves healing time and reduces pain by:
- Increasing blood flow to the muscle tissue
- Improving muscle’s ability to stretch/relax with movement
- Decreasing tension in the muscles to help reduce pain
- Deactivating painful trigger points
- Improve the brain’s ability to activate muscles, inhibit pain, and improve function
Common Diagnoses
Muscular spasms and trigger points are common following an injury and can compress nerves and surrounding tissues. Introducing a dry needle into these active trigger points can provide immediate and significant relief of symptoms.
Commonly treated issues include:
- Joint issues
- Muscle spasm
- Whiplash
- Rotator cuff injuries
- Tendonitis and muscle strain
- Spinal issues.
- Sciatica
- Neck pain and tension headaches
- Piriformis syndrome
- Chronic pain
- Fibromyalgia
This article presents only educational material and should not be taken as a substitute for the advice of a medical professional. Before following any advice found here or in other medical instructional materials, please consult with your doctor.
What To Do After An Auto Accident
It is important to see a physical therapist soon after a collision/incident.
Waiting to “see what happens” could delay your healing process.
Additionally, it is important to have medical documentation as soon as
possible after the collision/incident to establish how your injuries were
caused and to formulate a treatment plan that will maximize your
recovery.
What Causes Chronic Pain?
Generally, there are three ways your medical bills can be paid if you are injured in an accident in the State of Colorado.
Five Advantages of Physical Therapy After an Automobile Accident
Are you deliberating whether to seek physical therapy after an automobile accident? Here are the top 5 motivations why patients should obtain a physical therapist’s care following their car accident
Why Hurt Any Longer when
PTCare Mobile is here to help YOU?
Whether you were in a car accident last week or last year, PTCare can help lessen your pain. We have the know-how to help you get out of pain, restore your function, and put that episode in your life behind you.
Call us now to take the next step on your road to recovery!