Using acupuncture needles, dry needling is often combined with deep tissue massage to treat and disengage trigger points in muscle that can contribute to acute and chronic pain as well as biomechanical issues. Dry needling is a powerful adjunct to exercise and massage therapy that when used appropriately can help more stubborn areas.

Background

Supersensitive nerves misinterpret harmless signals from the body as exaggerated pain resulting in chronic pain without any physical signs of permanent injury or inflammation. The most common source of this neuropathic pain is related to muscles that have contracted and become shortened in their resting state.

Treatment

The treatment involves dry needling of the effected areas of the body. The point of insertion of the acupuncture needle can be at the epicenter of taut tender muscle bands or near the spine where the nerve root may have become irritated and super sensitive. The three main results of treatment are; the triggering of a stretch receptor in the muscle which relaxes the muscle, stimulation of natural self healing agents in the blood and normal functioning of the nerve.

What to expect

Normally inserting the needle into muscle is painless but a chronically shortened muscle will “grasp” the needle in what can be described as a painful cramping sensation. There can also be minor bleeding where the needle is inserted. Decreased pain, improved function and improved performance of the muscle or the myofascial chain of muscles including opposing muscle groups are the primary expected outcomes