What does dry needling do?
Dry needling is a treatment modality in my clinic that I love utilizing as an adjunct to other treatments. I have a lot of clients who are recovering from injuries faster when we utilize the modality in physical therapy sessions.
And when it comes to physical therapy care at Game Changer, my whole goal is to get you back to what you love within a reasonable timeline.
I also want to make sure we're able to address the root cause of your symptoms. Because without doing that, you have a higher likelihood of re-injury, which is ideal for anyone.
Before we talk about what dry needling does, I want to let you know that:
If you want to get started with dry needling and physical therapy treatment, you can book a discovery call here.
If you do not want dry needling to be a part of your rehab/recovery plan, it will never be forced on you (ever!), it's important to me that you know you're always in the driver's seat when it comes to your treatment plan.
So, what is dry needling?
Dry needling, also known as intramuscular needling, is a technique used by physical therapists to help alleviate pain and increase mobility, as well as to stimulate tissue healing and repair.
It involves the use of a thin, sterile, single-use monofilament needle inserted into a muscle, connective tissue, or myofascial trigger point. The needle is then stimulated during treatment for best results.
It’s called “dry” needling because we are not injecting any substances (ex. Cortisone, PRP, stem cells, or medication) into the treatment site during treatment.
Dry needling is a skilled physical therapy treatment technique that should only be performed by a certified provider with an endorsement in Washington state.
What does dry needling do?
When dry needling is used in a treatment plan, it is always combined with other interventions like soft tissue work, exercise, joint mobilizations, etc. so that you can get the best results.
A the heart of it, dry needling works by stimulating the healing of the tissues that are affected.
The needle is inserted into muscles, trigger points, or connective tissues that just need a little extra TLC for support and recovery.
Once the needle is inserted, if can be stimulated to help the muscles learn how to relax (which can feel intense, but will feel like a relaxation once it is completed. It does this by creating a local twitch response that will reset the muscle's neurological patterns, which are heightened, as evidenced by the tight muscles that you are feeling.
Dry needling also works to promote tissue healing by improving blood flow to the area, which then helps eliminate waste products from the area as well.
You can imagine that when you increase blood flow, get rid of the waste products, and reset the muscles' neurological patterns, you're able to have increased range of motion, reduced pain, and, because of the decreased pain, you'll also see increased strength!
Dry needling: Where to find physical therapists who use it
When looking for a provider to work with, you can ask if they also offer dry needling.
I provide dry needling as a part of my treatment options at my clinic in the tristate area and my clinic is located in Kennewick.
To get started, you can book a discovery call below!
