Musculoskeletal Dry Needling

Dry Needling targets myofascial trigger points, which are sore, tight points in a muscle that can be tender to touch. These points can form after an injury or from overuse of a muscle. When these trigger points form, they produce a high concentration of chemicals which pool within a hypersensitive band. A sterile, thin filament needle is inserted into the band which helps to ‘reset’ the chemical levels, ultimately relaxing the muscle and working to reduce pain.

Dry Needling also stimulates the circulatory system to alleviate swelling from an acutely injured or swollen joint by promoting blood flow to the damaged tissues. This, in turn, triggers a healing response which allows for a more efficient recovery.

The effective application of dry needling usually results in a muscle twitch which indicates that a myofascial trigger point has been contacted. Following treatment patients may feel soreness however this will subside after a few hours. Once the soreness settles, significant relief of symptoms are then noticeable by most patients.

Musculoskeletal conditions treated by dry needling include: