Dry needling can be an effective treatment for muscle, tendon, or ligament pain.

While you’ll need to discuss with your physical therapist if it’s the right treatment for you, here are some questions to consider if you’re thinking about pursuing dry needling as an option.

  • Are you experiencing muscular pain or soreness?
  • Do you have a knot that you just can’t work out?
  • Are you having trouble moving due to pain and stiffness?

If you answered yes, you may be a candidate for dry needling. Many people have questions about this treatment method and how it works; we’ll address some of the common questions that clients ask us in this article.

What is Trigger Point Dry Needling?

The American Physical Therapy Association defines dry needling as a skilled intervention that uses a thin filiform needle to penetrate the skin and stimulate underlying myofascial trigger points, muscular, and connective tissues for the management of musculoskeletal pain and movement impairments. A trigger point is a tight band of skeletal muscle that is located within a larger muscle group. By treating the soft tissue, a person experiences relief from pain, improved mobility and relaxation of soft tissue.

Dry needling is used to release muscle tension and eliminate stiffness and pain by loosening muscles subject to trigger points.

What is a trigger point?

A trigger point is a band of tight skeletal muscles that is located within a larger muscle group.  A trigger point can be tender to the touch and pressing on it can also cause pain to radiate to other parts of the body.

How is trigger point dry needling different from acupuncture?

Acupuncture is a component of traditional Chinese medicine. During acupuncture, tiny needles are inserted into the skin at various pressure points across the body.

According to Chinese tradition, acupuncture helps balance the flow of energy, or qi (pronounced “chee”), within your body. This new energy balance stimulates the body’s healing abilities.

Acupuncture is different from trigger point dry needling because it does not treat musculoskeletal dysfunction.

What conditions can dry needling treat?

Dry needling can be an effective treatment for many conditions, including the following:

Muscular pain
Arthritis and stiffness
Ligament strains
Postoperative stiffness and loss of mobility
Neck pain
Low back pain

If you have pain or muscle tension that just won’t go away, you may benefit from dry needling.

If you have questions, we’d be happy to help! Call our office at 704-541-1191 or request an appointment here.