By Melissa Jankus, DPT
Although dry needling has been around for years, it is relatively new to a majority of people. This overview is intended to shed some light on the “hype” surrounding dry needling and to provide you with information to help you decide if dry needling is the right choice for you.
What is dry needling?
Intramuscular manual therapy (IMT), or trigger point dry needling (TDN), is the use of a small needle to penetrate a “trigger point” in an area of muscle that is tight and/or causing pain or decreased performance. The intent of dry needling is to cause the muscle to contract, then relax, therefore releasing the trigger point. The result is improved muscle flexibility and performance, and decreased pain or symptoms.
What is a trigger point?
A trigger point can be defined as the presence of increased tenderness in a tight band of muscle. Trigger points (commonly referred to as “knots”) can produce pain at the site of the trigger point and/or refer to other areas of the body. They can produce pain either with physical compression of the trigger point or spontaneously.
Dry needling vs. acupuncture
Dry needling typically requires a medical diagnosis/prescription and examination, and the insertion of the needle is based on the examination findings. Dry needling also requires the practitioner to have taken a certification course and have a thorough knowledge of anatomy. You can expect results or changes in symptoms immediately after dry needling.
Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medicine technique which involves inserting multiple needles into the skin. The placement of the needles is based on traditional Chinese medicine philosophy rather than a medical examination. Acupuncture can have a wide variety of results, but not necessarily immediate, that include physical and emotional changes.
What to expect:
Typically, each individual who experiences dry needling will describe the process differently, depending on what muscles or tissues are being treated.
Some common things you can expect to feel during dry needling are:
Dull, achy pain at or near the treatment site
Potential for sudden sharp, sometimes startling, pain (this is expected)
Muscle twitching where the needle is inserted
The twitch is what releases the trigger point in the muscle
After dry needling, you can expect:
Soreness in the associated area (like after a hard workout)
Improved range of motion of the associated area, however, it may feel temporarily tighter at times
Bruising (less common)
Dry needling is a safe and effective method of relieving pain and tension in muscles and can be used to assist with treatment of a wide variety of conditions, including athletic injuries or strains, neck pain, headaches, tendinitis, and low back pain, to name a few. When used appropriately, dry needling can be effective in helping to restore joint range of motion and facilitate better body mechanics, which can also prevent future injury and pain. If you are interested in dry needling or curious if it’s right for you, we encourage you to contact our office to schedule an evaluation with one of our trained physical therapists.