Dry Needling
Dry Needling is a treatment technique that uses thin needles. With these needles, the therapist pricks certain points in muscles and connective tissue (trigger points).
Why Dry Needling?
Dry Needling works extremely well for muscle complaints. Especially when muscles are very tense and can no longer relax well on their own. You often feel painful and hard “lumps” in the muscles, these are called trigger points. Trigger points are places in muscles where the muscle can no longer relax properly. The muscle fibers here stay together, so to speak. With the help of needles, these areas can relax better again, resulting in better mobility and less pain. In addition, there are several symptom types where Dry Needling can be a good addition in treatment. Consider heel spur, tennis, golfer’s elbow, jaw problems, headaches, back pain and sports injuries. Are you unsure if Dry Needling can help for your symptoms? Please feel free to contact .
How does Dry Needling work?
Dry Needling is widely used in physical therapy and is a safe and relatively approachable treatment technique. It is good to know that it is often an addition to a total treatment, so it is usually applied alongside another treatment. The “tightening” of muscles and connective tissue affects your body in several ways. Nerve cells are stimulated with the needle.
Your body starts to excrete certain substances in response, this causes pain reduction in the area where the needles are applied. It also improves blood flow and muscle relaxation. When trigger points are punctured, a “twitch” is often felt. This is the brief tightening of the muscle. This reaction causes the relaxation in the muscle and of the trigger point afterwards.
Dry Needling is a treatment method in which the physical therapist triggers your muscles through a special technique, so that muscle hardening and cramping relaxes quickly and for a long time.
What can I expect from a treatment?
As with other treatments, we begin with an interview and examination (intake), to properly determine what the symptoms are and also to determine if Dry Needling can be a good addition to treatment. If the therapist (together with you) decides that the treatment will be applied, you will first be educated and it will be inventoried if there are any questions. Dry Needling is often applied in a lying position on the treatment couch. The therapist ensures good hygiene and first disinfects the area where the needles will be applied and his/her own hands. Then the therapist (using a special technique) inserts the needle into the muscle in question and moves it back and forth. This is necessary to achieve the desired effect. This often feels like a woeful “muscle ache,” and you can sometimes feel the muscle tightening in short poses. You may also feel almost nothing during the treatment. It can prevent the spot from feeling a little tired and nagging afterwards. It is perfectly normal for symptoms to increase slightly a day after treatment. Often these decrease after this. It is important to keep moving enough and drinking water to prevent the muscle from becoming stiff. Your therapist will inform you further about this.
Cost
There are no additional costs associated with Dry Needling at Integral Medical Center Gimborn. It falls under the regular physical therapy reimbursements. For a comprehensive list of health insurance companies and their reimbursements and our rates click here.
Frequently Asked Questions Dry Needling
Dry needling is a physical therapy treatment method in which thin needles are inserted into muscles to reduce pain and muscle discomfort. The purpose of dry needling is to relax cramped muscles and reduce pain and stiffness.
Although both methods use thin needles, there are some important differences between dry needling and acupuncture. Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese medicine in which needles are placed on specific acupuncture points in the body to influence energy flow and treat various conditions. Dry needling, on the other hand, focuses specifically on relaxing muscles and reducing pain and stiffness.
Dry needling may cause some pain or discomfort during treatment, especially when the needles are inserted. However, this sensation is usually short-lived, and most patients experience relief of pain and muscle tension after treatment.
Dry needling uses thin needles similar to acupuncture needles, but these needles are longer and thinner. The needles are made of stainless steel and are used only once to prevent cross-contamination.
After a dry needling treatment, some patients may experience some afterpain or sensitivity in the treated muscles. This is normal and usually disappears within 24-48 hours after treatment. It is important to follow the therapist’s instructions and report any side effects.