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What is dry needling?
Dry needling is an intervention that stimulates myofascial trigger point release to relieve neuromuscular pain and movement impairments.[1] The treatment is done by inserting thin filiform needles to penetrate the skin.
The needles may be placed deeply or superficially and will remain in place for a few seconds or minutes, depending on the type of pain being treated.[2] The needles do not inject any medication - they are only used to stimulate the muscle tissue.
How is dry needling different from acupuncture?
In some ways, dry needling and acupuncture are similar. Both use sterile needles that are inserted into the skin to stimulate points in the body. But from there the practices diverge into very different approaches.
Acupuncture is based on Traditional Chinese Medical (TMC) concepts. Qi (pronounced ‘chee’) is a life force that is believed to flow throughout the body in meridian channels. When the energy is out of balance or blocked, TMC believes it can lead to illness or pain that can be treated with acupuncture. Depending on the practitioner it may be used to treat many medical ailments beyond pain, including depression, fatigue, insomnia, and high blood pressure. The main measure of success is the patient’s reporting of symptom relief, though some practitioners measure other factors.[10]
Dry needling is based on Western Medicine principles of anatomy. Myofascial trigger points (sensitive points in the body) are stimulated using dry needles to treat muscle dysfunctions. Dry needling is only used to treat neuromusculoskeletal ailments, not weight management, depression, or any other conditions that aren’t related to the neuromusculoskeletal system. Success is measured by tracking a variety of metrics including balance, coordination, range of motion, and strength.[10]
What types of pain is dry needling used for?
Dry needling is often used as part of a treatment plan for any condition where myofascial trigger points are present.[1] Some examples of conditions where dry needling can be used include:
- Tendonitis
- Joint dysfunction
- Disk pathology
- Tension-type headaches
- Migraines
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Phantom pain
- Nocturnal cramps
- Radiculopathies
- Jaw and mouth problems (like TMD)
- Craniomandibular dysfunction
- Whiplash-associated disorders
- Spinal dysfunction
- Computer-related disorders
- Pelvic pain and other urologic syndromes
- Complex regional pain syndrome
- Post-herpetic neuralgia (pain left by shingles)
- And other more uncommon diagnoses
Explore the Benefits of Dry Needling
The main benefit of dry needling is its ability to be another effective tool for helping your patients manage and relieve their pain. Many practitioners consider dry needling to be safe, easy to learn, and often effective with minimal discomfort for the patient.
Source: Performance Health Academy