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Dry needling is an innovative therapeutic technique used to address muscular pain, tightness, and dysfunction. It involves the insertion of thin, solid needles into specific trigger points within the muscles, fascia, or connective tissues, without any injection of substances.
Trigger points are specific areas within muscles that are highly sensitive and can cause pain and discomfort when activated. These points are characterized by tight bands or knots in the muscle fibers, and when pressure is applied to them, they may elicit referred pain or aching sensations in other parts of the body.
At Hobson Institute, our skilled therapists perform dry needling to target areas of tension and dysfunction, aiming to release muscular knots and promote relaxation. By stimulating these trigger points, we can improve blood circulation and encourage the body’s natural healing processes.
Dry needling should not be confused with any type of acupuncture and is not an entry level skill. It should only be performed by physical therapists that have been certified and are proficient and qualified to perform this treatment. Dry needling technique is a modern Western medical modality that is not based on Traditional Chinese Medical acupuncture.
Prior to dry needling patients must inform the physical therapist of any medical conditions that are important to note. Such as pregnancy, use of a pacemaker or bone stimulator, use of immunosuppressant medication or of blood thinners. It is not recommended to take Aspirin, Aleve, or Ibuprofen before dry needling since they are blood thinners.
A gown is provided for patients to cover areas that don’t need skin exposure and for respect of their privacy. You will be in a comfortable position on your stomach, back or side. When the needle is inserted you will feel a prick and some soreness until the muscle relaxes. When the needle touches the trigger point, a local twitch response is elicited which is briefly painful and unexpected. This is when the chemicals are released from the trigger point.
You will feel temporary soreness in the needle sites which can last for a few days following treatment. This discomfort will be lessened by heat and stretching. Medications, such as Ibuprofen, Motrin, Advil or Aleve may also help, although you should consult with your physician before taking any medications. One should always wait 24 hours before taking the above mentioned medications to allow the natural coagulation process to occur after dry needling. These medications have a blood thinning agent that should be avoided the day of needling.
As physical therapists, we address neuromusculoskeletal conditions, biomechanical muscle imbalances, postural dysfunctions, muscular flexibility limitations, strength deficits, and swollen or stiff joints… just note that all of these conditions may require much more than just dry needling. Dry needling is just one modality used in conjunction with the variety of manual therapy techniques and prescriptive exercises prescribed by your physical therapist to restore you to optimal physical function.
Contact us to make an appointment with one of our clinicians today.
The deep needling of the temporalis led to the best night of sleep and I woke up with minimal headaches and tinnitus. The symptoms returned by the evening, but I believe we have identified the issue!
– Josh Wechsler
Insurance coverage for dry needling techniques varies by the plan. Consider calling your insurance company to confirm that they cover CPT codes 20560 and 20561.
