All You Need to Know About Dry Needling
Dry needling is a common treatment technique in physical therapy. It can be used for pain, muscle tightness, and/or relaxation.
Maybe you’ve tried dry needling before… maybe you’ve never heard of it… or maybe you’ve been thinking about trying it out for your symptoms. This blog is a guide for you to better understand how it can be used and why it works so that you can decide if you want to seek out dry needling services near you.
Topics I’m going to discuss:
2. What kind of needles are used?
3. What are the procedures for dry needling?
7. What is trigger point dry needling?
8. What is neurologic dry needling?
9. My approach to dry needling
10. What diagnoses are treated with dry needling?
What is dry needling?
Dry needling is a treatment technique that can be used by physical therapists, and other healthcare professionals to reduce muscle tension and pain. It is performed using a clean technique, using sterile needles- meaning you are not in the operating room for the procedure, but all sanitary precautions are taken at the place of treatment. It is called dry needling because nothing is being administered through the needle (it’s not hollow like a vaccination needle).
What kind of needles are used?
Very thin, solid needles are used for dry needling. Although dry needling is not acupuncture, the same needles are used in both procedures. They are so small that most of the time you can’t even see where the needle was placed after it’s taken out! Depending on the target tissue for treatment, the needle length can range from 15mm (1/2in) to 90mm (3½in). This allows the physical therapist to reach tissues they would otherwise not be able to reach with their hands.
What are the procedures for dry needling?
Dry needling can take place in the clinic, or in the comfort of your own home if you are being treated by a mobile physical therapist like me! The areas to be needled are prepped with alcohol, the physical therapist wears gloves, and needles are discarded in a sharps container.
Is dry needling safe?
Dry needling is a safe technique when used by a provider that has gone through specific training. You may experience rare side effects such as bruising or bleeding (a few drops), and/or some skin irritation in the treatment area. The bruising and irritation typically go away after a few days. You may also experience some soreness for 24-48 hours after treatment but continuing to move can help that subside quicker.
Does dry needling hurt?
With an individualized approach, dry needling should not be painful. Most of the time, clients feel the tube of the needle pressing on their skin more than the actual needle itself. The physical therapist providing the treatment can change position or needle depth based on what you are feeling so it is important to keep an open and clear line of communication.
Common sensations that are felt during needling are pinching, pressure, cramping, tingling, or buzzing. Some practitioners use different methods of dry needling that cause more discomfort and can off put people to dry needling- that is not the approach I take. I believe that it should all be tolerable, and the point is not “no pain, no gain.” Sometimes when I needle clients they don’t feel anything at all. They still get all of the benefits of needling.
Should I try dry needling?
Only you can answer that! Once you have been properly screened by the practitioner you are seeing and dry needling is recommended, you have the final say of if you would like to try it. If you are more apprehensive, a gradual approach should be taken. You can always decide to stop treatment (even in the middle of it!) if you no longer feel comfortable.
Oftentimes if people are unsure or nervous their muscles can get tense causing increased sensations from the needles. If you decide that dry needling is not for you, it is not the end all be all. There are so many other treatments and techniques that can be used during your care to address your pain.
What is trigger point dry needling?
Trigger point dry needling is an approach where the needle is placed directly into trigger points, or muscle knots. This elicits an immediate twitch and relaxation of the muscle. This is the taut band of muscle you feel where your muscles are the tightest.
What is neurologic dry needling?
Neurologic dry needling addresses dense neurovascular bundles to create a systemic effect throughout the body. It aims to create a sensory response to increase blood flow rather than the twitch response like in trigger point dry needling. Dr. Ma is the founder of neurologic dry needling and created the body map of homeostatic points (inflamed nerves).
My approach to dry needling
As humans, we tend to search for instant gratification- a quick fix! It can be for pain relief, learning something new, or fitness goals. I am guilty of it myself! This is one reason why I really enjoy utilizing dry needling. More often than not clients feel an immediate change after a treatment of dry needling. I am trained in Integrative Dry Needling. This means my approach may look a little different than you’ve seen or heard of if you’ve had any exposure to dry needling. It is more of a blend between neurologic and trigger point dry needling.
My approach includes following the neurology of the affected area, back to the spine, which I like to refer to as our body’s “computer modem.” Our spinal cord gives signals to the body on what it feels and how to move. I will often needle along the spine and in various areas that follow sensory and motor pathways to the affected area I am treating. This helps create a systemic effect on the nervous, lymphatic, and vascular systems. I like to start with those areas then work into symptomatic areas like trigger points or muscle knots for a more gradual approach.
I like to use an analogy of the telephone wires in a neighborhood: If one line goes down on the street it is likely that more than one house will be affected so we need to go and reset the individual circuit breakers in each house, not just the house in front of the line down. The body is all connected and that is why I address areas that are not just in the area that is bothering you.
What diagnoses are treated with dry needling?
Dry needling can be used for an array of diagnoses. There are very few times that dry needling is not appropriate, one being that you are afraid of needles. I have successfully used dry needling for neck pain and headaches, jaw pain, rotator cuff problems, shoulder pain, low back pain, hip problems, shin splints, knee pain, plantar fasciitis, and Achilles tendinopathy to name a few. It can also be used for training recovery. If you have muscle tension after a workout or heavy lift session at the gym, dry needling can help the muscle soreness subside quicker. This can be helpful if you have multiple heavy training days a week in preparation for a competition or race.
How can dry needling help my pain?
Dry needling can help your pain by increasing blood flow to the area, mobilizing static lymphatic fluid causing inflammation, down regulating your nervous system, and releasing muscle knots or tension in the body. In doing these things, it allows you to tolerate more treatment such as exercise prescription to get to the root of your symptoms.
How you can work with me
I am a mobile physical therapist in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire. I offer one-on-one physical therapy and wellness services. I have a special interest in treating active individuals, jaw pain, and women with pelvic floor dysfunction. If you are in the Lakes Region and are looking for treatment, schedule a free discovery call through the link below. I look forward to connecting!