Trigger Point Dry Needling

Dry needling is a treatment method used by our physical therapists, usually as part of a larger treatment plan. Patients with a variety of musculoskeletal problems have benefited from dry needling, including those with:

• Headache treatment
• Neck and back pain
• Tendonitis
• Acute or chronic injuries
• Muscle spasms
• Muscle strains
• Tennis/ golfers elbow
• Sciatica

During dry needling, a very thin filament needle is penetrated into the skin to stimulate the underlying myofascial trigger points and connective tissues. The goal of this procedure is to release tension or inactivate trigger points – this will relieve pain, improve the patient’s range of motion, reduce muscle tension, and normalize any dysfunctions of the motor end plates (the sites where nerve impulses are transmitted to muscles).

How many dry needling treatments are required?

Some patients will see significant results in only a few treatments while others may require more. The extent and duration of your condition will determine how many treatments are needed. Treatments are spaced days apart and combined with traditional physical therapy sessions to give the body healing time between dry needling sessions.

Is trigger point dry needling painful?

Patients do not generally feel when the needle is inserted. The local twitch response may provoke an uncomfortable sensation in some patients, sometimes described as a tingle or cramp.

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