Dry Needling is a treatment technique that uses a small sterile solid filament needle to treat muscle trigger points. A muscle trigger point is a highly localized, hyper-irritable spot within a palpable, taut band of skeletal muscle fibers. These muscle trigger points - which are located throughout the human body - play a role in producing and sustaining feelings of pain and discomfort. Trigger points develop in muscle for various reasons including referred or local pain, inflammation, tissue injury or other causes. Studies from the United States have shown that trigger points were the primary source of pain in as many as 85% of pain-related appointments with a primary care doctor.

Dry needling can be used for a variety of musculoskeletal problems where muscles, fascial restrictions, and/or scar tissue are thought to be a primary contributing factor. Dry Needling is prescribed as a part of an overall care plan and can be a natural extension of quality hands on therapy. To be effective, Dry Needling should not be performed as an isolated treatment, but as part of a comprehensive care plan.

While the exact mechanisms of action of dry needling on trigger points is not known, there are documented mechanical and biochemical effects. Inserting a needle into a trigger point can cause favorable biochemical changes, known as a local twitch response. It is essential to elicit this local twitch response to reduce pain. Achieving a local twitch responses with dry needling is the first step in breaking the pain cycle to reduce pain. Occasionally, insertion of the needle will also reproduce “referred pain” symptoms. This is often a positive sign confirming the trigger point as being the source of the pain. 

There are many similarities and some differences between dry needling and acupuncture. Both use a small sterile solid filament, however, their intention is different. Traditional acupuncture follows Eastern Medicine’s key principle of holistic treatment and is based on normalizing ones Chi. Dry Needling emphasis is on restoring normal muscle function through direct treatment of muscle trigger points. 

Yes. We only use sterile disposable needles.

Our highly trained certified clinicians go to great lengths to ensure patient safety through our extensive training as well as years of education of human anatomy and experience. We apply OSHA standards, use personal protective equipment, and proudly hold ourselves to the highest standards of safety. Dry Needling treatments are only performed by our Certified Myofascial Trigger Point Therapists who are highly skilled manual therapists, with advanced training in anatomy, musculoskeletal function and dysfunction.

Most patients report being sore after the procedure. The soreness is described as muscle soreness over the area treated and into the areas of referred symptoms. Typically, the soreness lasts between a few hours and two days and feels like you’ve had an intense workout at the gym.