Dry Needling Therapy: A Revolutionary Approach to Pain Relief
You may have heard about dry needling and have questioned whether it’s the proper treatment for you. Despite the procedure’s intimidating name, dry needling is a widely available and accessible treatment for patients who have discomfort in their muscles, ligaments, or tendons.
What is Dry Needling Therapy?
Dry needling is used by acupuncturists, physical therapists, and other skilled healthcare providers to treat musculoskeletal discomfort and mobility disorders. It is most often utilized along with other pain-reduction methods, including massage, stretching, and exercise. The purpose of this treatment is to address underlying myofascial trigger points by having a physician inject thin, pointed needles through the skin.
“Myo” in the word “myofascial” means “muscle.” The thin, white connective tissue that covers your muscles is called fascia. Tight, sensitive spots that form in your muscles are called trigger points. Touching these trigger points might cause discomfort because they are extremely sensitive. A trigger point could occasionally be close to where you’re experiencing discomfort. However, they frequently result in transferred pain as well. When you experience pain in another area of your body, it’s referred to as pain.
How Does Dry Needling Therapy Work?
Your muscles experience an energy crisis when they are overworked, which prevents the muscle fibers from receiving enough blood flow. They are deprived of the oxygen and nutrients necessary for their muscles to return to their typical resting state when they are not receiving regular blood flow. The tissue next to your trigger point gets more acidic as a result. It is uncomfortable and sore because your nerves are hypersensitive. Dry needling can improve blood flow, lessen discomfort, and loosen up tense muscles when administered to a trigger point or affected muscle.
Following therapy, patients frequently experience instant relief. During treatment, the needles are only in your muscle for ten to twenty minutes. Exercise and other physical rehabilitation methods are typically combined with dry needling to stop trigger points from happening again. The needles are solid and do not inject bodily fluids. This is the reason this treatment is called “dry.” After a dry needling treatment, some people claim to feel better instantly in terms of pain and movement. For others, multiple sessions are required.
Benefits of Dry Needling Therapy
Pain Relief:
Trigger points are typically thought of as tense muscles in the neck, upper back, and shoulders. However, this issue can occur anywhere on your body and be linked to a variety of ailments, including joint discomfort, overuse injuries, and neck and lower back pain. As the knot loosens up and blood flow increases, your pain subsides. Improved circulation allows your muscles to acquire the oxygen and nourishment they require to repair while also removing uncomfortable, acidic waste.
Improved Mobility:
Tight, aching muscles are one of the few things that prevent you from moving. Your mobility may be significantly restricted if you have several trigger points. Additionally, your muscles lose mass and become weaker when you are not active. To properly recover your range of motion and develop your strength, we frequently combine dry needling with a physical therapy regimen. Additionally, physical therapy helps you avoid future trigger points by retraining your muscles.
Enhanced Muscle Recovery:
The procedure may increase blood circulation in the area, facilitating healing and recovery. The insertion of needles can assist in relaxing tight muscles, resulting in less stress and increased muscle function.
Reduces Inflammation:
For a number of musculoskeletal disorders, dry needling is adaptable and successful. It aids in reducing bursa and tendon inflammation. Dry needling can trigger a healing response in the body, helping to address underlying issues contributing to pain.
Complements Other Therapies:
It can be combined with other therapies, such as physical therapy, massage, and chiropractic care, to provide a more holistic approach to pain management. Dry needling is typically combined with exercise and other physical therapy to prevent trigger points from recurring.
Conditions Treated with Dry Needling Therapy
A variety of conditions can be treated by dry needling.
Some of the most prevalent ailments that dry needling can help with are listed below.
Natural Pain relief treatment
Dry needling works well as a natural remedy for pain brought on by several ailments such as Chronic headaches and migraines, Spinal issues, Night cramps, Degenerative disc disease, Jaw and mouth issues, Sciatica pain Lower back pain, Hyperlordosis and Upper back pain etc.
Your muscles may become too tense from injury or misuse, which can hinder normal blood flow to the surrounding tissues and hinder the healing process. The nerve then becomes unpleasant and sensitive. Dry needling can be used by your physical therapist to assist in restoring blood flow and cleansing the region around the trigger point. After their initial dry needling session, some patients report less discomfort, while others require several sessions to fully benefit.
Knee Arthritis Pain
Joint swelling and inflammation are symptoms of osteoarthritis. Seniors are more likely to experience it. According to research, dry needling is a useful treatment for osteoarthritis-related knee discomfort. Dry needling aids in the natural relief of persistent pain and the restoration of knee function. It cannot, however, reverse the deterioration brought on by arthritis. Additionally, osteoarthritis frequently restricts the knee’s range of motion; in situations where soft tissues impede motion, dry needling may be able to expand the range of motion. It will also be simpler for you to engage in physical therapy if your pain is lessened and your range of motion is increased. It may enable you to engage in your favorite hobbies for longer periods, thereby reducing the symptoms of arthritis.
Non surgical Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Treatment
Excessive pressure on the median nerve in your hand might result in carpal tunnel syndrome. Dry needling is beneficial for this kind of repetitive strain injury. According to research, repetitive strain injuries can occur in nearly every part of the body. Your hands and wrists often get numb, weak, and painful as a result of this pressure. You may also have squeezed nerves in your neck, shoulder, and arm if you suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome. Dry needling can help with carpal tunnel syndrome-related shoulder and neck pain by releasing pressure from these trigger points.
What to Expect During a Dry Needling Therapy Session?
Sterile Needle Insertion:
Following the evaluation, your therapist will briefly describe the process of dry needling to you. The needles will then be inserted into your trigger points. When the needles are put in, you can experience some discomfort or a tiny prick. Needles should not cause pain when inserted; instead, they typically feel like a strong pressure.
Muscle Response:
Your therapist will utilize manual techniques to help relax the muscles while the needles are in place, usually for a few minutes. Depending on your symptoms and reaction, the needling may be performed several times throughout one or more sessions.
Pain Relief and Relaxation:
For persistent back pain, neck discomfort, shoulder pain, and headaches, dry needling can help alleviate pain by focusing on trigger points and relieving tension in tense muscles. Dry needling provides a drug-free method of managing chronic pain, in contrast to pharmaceuticals that could have adverse effects or increase the risk of dependence.
Is Dry Needling Therapy Safe?
Dry needling is a safe procedure when carried out by a qualified medical practitioner. Needles are single-use and sterile. Dry needling is a widely utilized technique for both acute and chronic injury treatment, as well as for athletic recovery. Only a skilled healthcare professional should perform dry needling; if done incorrectly, you risk bleeding, discomfort, or even organ puncture.
Dry Needling Therapy vs. Acupuncture: What’s the Difference?
For almost 3,000 years, acupuncture has been a vital part of traditional Chinese medicine. Its efficacy has been thoroughly investigated. A more recent treatment that has developed during the past few decades is dry needling. Its sole goal is to relieve trigger points in order to cure musculoskeletal and neurological discomfort. Dry needling targets faulty muscle trigger points, whereas acupuncture helps to restore energy flow.
The only similarity between them is that they both use the same kind of needles. Dry needling is done by several professionals with varying levels of training. In contrast to dry needling, which is based on Western medicine and the assessment of pain patterns, postures, abnormal movement patterns, and orthopedic testing, acupuncture is administered by certified acupuncturists and is based on Eastern medicine.
In addition to treating musculoskeletal pain, acupuncture also helps other bodily systems. Reducing discomfort, deactivating trigger points, and enhancing mobility are the objectives of dry needling. It is usually utilized in conjunction with other physical therapy treatments as part of a more comprehensive physical therapy approach.
Who Can Benefit from Dry Needling Therapy?
Patients with either acute or chronic pain, regardless of the cause, can benefit from this therapeutic approach. Back pain and other neuromusculoskeletal conditions, including plantar fasciitis, can be effectively treated using dry needling therapy. A few immediate benefits of this treatment are as follows:
- Increased muscular function
- Increased nerve function
- Prevents the growth of scar tissue
- Improved ligament and tendon integrity
- Regular pain alleviation
- Decreases in tissue inflammation and myofascial
- Increases healthy blood flow due to nervous system stimulation.
- Eases the discomfort caused by trigger points
- Keeps nerves from getting irritated
- Reducing edema and promoting homeostasis
Why Choose DrGeetanjaliPhysiotherapist for Dry Needling Therapy?
To get the best results from your dry needling treatment, it is important to choose a reliable physical therapy clinic. The clinic should have highly trained physical therapists who specialize in dry needling and have extensive experience. To find the best course of treatment for your needs and to explore your options, make an appointment with Dr Geetanjali right now if you wish to reduce your pain and increase your mobility.
Conclusion:
Dry needling can be an effective tool for reducing pain and restoring normal function. With the right physical therapy clinic, you can expect to get the best results from treatment.
Listening to your body and keeping track of any changes following treatment are two ways to make sure you get the most out of your expert dry needling therapy. To ensure that your therapy is modified as necessary, discuss any changes or worries you may have with your physical therapist. To maximize the benefits of your therapy, be sure to perform any stretches or exercises that your physical therapist may have suggested.
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