Here at Action Chiropractic, we are always looking for the best ways to serve our patients. We recently received our certifications in dry needling, and are excited to offer yet another research backed therapy to our toolbox. What is dry needling?
Dry needling is a treatment option that involves using very thin acupuncture needles to penetrate skin, muscles, trigger points, and connective tissue for the management of Neuromusculoskeletal pain.
A variety of needle techniques are used with the goal of provoking specific structures in the body to help relieve pain and increase range of motion. The needles used in dry needling vary in thickness and in length and different needles are used depending what the target tissue is.
What does dry needling do?
Dry needling works on several different levels. First of all, it creates a change in local circulation-sticking something with a needle will cause it to bleed. This blood flow helps to bring fresh, nutrient rich, oxygenated blood to the target tissue helping to make that tissue more elastic, and thus increasing range of motion. Dry needling also impacts the autonomic nervous system. This system is responsible for the fight or flight response, and needling helps to bring injured or stressed tissue to a non-stressed state.
Lastly, dry needling promotes biomechanical balance by creating normal muscle activation patterns, changes in muscle strength, muscle thickness, and range of motion.
5 ways to ease sore muscles. Hospital for Special Surgery. (n.d.) Retrieved August 2,2022, from https://www.hss.edu/newsroom_ways-to-ease-sore-muscles.asp Med & Science in Sports and Ex17 J Manip Phys Ther 17, J Back & Musculoskel Rehab 17
Who can benefit from dry needling?
Dry needling can help relieve the symptoms associated with a number of different neuromusculoskeletal disorders including, but not limited to: back and neck pain, tennis elbow, golfers elbow, joint pain, shin splints, tendonitis, repetitive motion disorders, headaches, and many more.
Comments