What is it?
Dry needling is also called trigger point dry needling or myofascial trigger point dry needling. It is done by physical therapists in order to treat myofascial pain. The word “myofascial” is made up of the roots “myo” (which refers to muscle) and “fascia” (which refers to the tissue that connects muscle). And it’s called dry needling because you aren’t injecting anything.
Muscles sometimes develop knotted areas called trigger points. These trigger points are highly sensitive and can be painful when touched. They are also often the cause of referred pain (or pain that affects another part of the body). A therapist pushes thin solid needles through the skin into trigger points. The needles are used to stimulate the tissue, not to inject medication.
A patient may experience different sensations when being needled. For example, muscle soreness, aching and a muscle twitch when a needle is inserted are considered to be a good sign. The needles may be placed deeply or superficially, for shorter or longer periods of time, depending on what type of pain is being treated and how long it has lasted. Shorter periods of time would mean that needle would stay in the muscle for seconds, while longer periods could mean 10 to 15 minutes. If it sounds painful, it generally is not! Usually, inserting the needle is painless.
What does it treat?
Dry needling is almost always used as a part of an overall therapy plan that will likely include some type of exercise, manual therapy, heat therapy, and education. It is used to increase range of motion that may be limited due to muscle tightness or scar tissue. Dry needling may also treat:
- Joint problems
- Disk problems
- Tendinitis
- Migraine and tension-type headaches
- Plantar fasciitis
- Whiplash
- Repetitive motion disorders (like carpal tunnel syndrome)
- Spinal problems
- Pelvic pain
- Night cramps
- Phantom pain
Ask Your Therapist
Dry needling can be a very useful tool to help you recover. However, it’s not for everyone. You shouldn’t have dry needling done if you are pregnant, or if you are currently on blood thinners. Talk to your therapist about whether dry needling would be right for you. Your therapist is an expert and can set up a plan to get you back to feeling like yourself again.
