Dry Needling

Dry needling is a method of soft tissue intervention that uses solid monofiliment needles inserted into the muscle in order to create an effect. The reason why it is called dry needling is because there is no potential of injection.

This treatment is not acupuncture. My goal is to affect the muscles and nerves to improve musculoskeletal injury. The treatments are typically short and targeted to a specific muscle or region and the associated nerves.

There are two main thoughts on why dry needling works. Research is ongoing to support these and explore any other options. The first: it affects polarization of the nervous system and when inserted near a nerve, it “resets it“. Because of this, I will start treatment at the nerve root and work down the nerve pathway leading to the muscle and the trigger point itself.

The second way it works is by creating a micro-trauma/injury. This small assault to the soft tissue jumpstarts the healing process. The inflammatory response pumps in the building blocks of tissue healing and helps to flush out the injury waste. Although this is technically an injury/injury response, it is so small that it doesn’t cause long lasting negative affect. After the inflammatory response, the soft tissue is primed for the remodeling phase of healing. During this step of healing we stress the tissue appropriately to cause positive adaptation.

Dry needling, despite its looks, should be fairly painless with a throb or ache being the most significant sensation you have. Having said that, it can result in muscle spasms which can be uncomfortable, but if anything hurts I will remove the needle. Once the needle is out everything should calm down.

When inserting the needle you should feel a light tap and then I will begin to insert the needle further into the muscle. After that, I may manipulate the needle a bit to target the structures better. Throughout the treatment we will be conversation on how it feels in order to keep you comfortable.

Directly after and throughout the rest of the day it is very likely to be sore. I call it the “needle hangover“. Even with that soreness, most people report their symptoms feel better and muscles feel looser.

Typically there are three ways that sorness resolves- 1) its gone by the end of the day, 2) the next day they have minimal to no soreness but still feel loose, & 3) the soreness takes until the second day after treatment to settle down.