Although the thought of being jabbed by tiny needles can surely make anyone feel uneasy, many people swear on the benefits of dry needling and the relief that it provides to muscle pain. Dry needling has been around for decades and is also considered a popular way to treat muscle pain without medications involved. Also, it is incorporated into various pain management plans which may include exercise, massage, stretching and other techniques. But really, the main benefit of dry needling is muscle recovery and pain relief. Dry needling is a technique used by physical therapists for treating various types of pain and movement impairment.
Other terms associated with dry needling include trigger point dry needling and intramuscular manual therapy. A trigger point is an area of tension in the muscle fiber that disrupts its function, restricts mobility, and causes intense pain. Trigger point needling targets these tight uncomfortable trigger points to loosen them and allow better blood flow resulting in huge pain relief. A “dry” needle (without medication or injection) is inserted through the skin into the muscle area for triggering relief. A thin filiform needle is used for this technique to penetrate the skin and stimulate underlying myofascial trigger points, muscular and connective tissues and initiates self healing. The purpose of using the needle is to target muscles that are not palpable and restore their mobility.
How does it work?
Dry needling is an advanced treatment technique that is mainly used to treat muscle pain. The procedure is performed by a licensed physical therapist using “dry needles.” “Dry needles” are inserted into the trigger points in the body to stimulate a so-called “twitch” response in the muscle fibers and release the trigger point that causes pain. While the needle is inserted into the skin, the nerve fibers are stimulated releasing substances that interrupt pain signals. As a result, the muscle tissue is depolarized and relaxed leading to relief. During the dry needling session, you’ll be in a comfortable and relaxed position for the therapist to access the area to be treated. You’ll be lying down supported by pillows to keep you in a comfortable, calm, and still position. Once the trigger point also known as “knot” is located, the needle will be gently inserted into the area for 30 seconds to three minutes using the following methods: dynamic needling (moving the needle) or static needling (leaving the needle in place).
In some cases, electrical stimulation or e-stim is used throughout the procedure. With e-stim, an electrical current is transferred through the dry needle to accelerate the pain relief process. The H-Wave technology is often used in e-stim dry needling. Low-frequency H-Wave stimulates smooth muscle fiber to increase blood flow and in return, heal the areas of inflammation quickly. With that said, it is important to get a licensed physical therapist to perform the dry needling procedure to achieve maximum relief. Polygon PT got you covered on this!
Pain Relief
Pain relief is achieved as the knot relaxes and blood flow improves. Good blood circulation brings relief to your sore muscles by getting rid of the acidic waste and allowing the muscles to receive oxygen and nutrients needed for quick healing. You’ll feel a huge reduction of pain after one dry needling session. However, others may need more than one session. The success of dry needling depends on the severity of your condition and the number of trigger points.
Regained Range of Motion
Limited mobility is the result of tight and painful muscles. Also, when you’re not active the muscles weaken and lose muscle fiber which also leads to various health problems.Dry needling may provide relief for some muscular pain and stiffness. In addition, easing the trigger points may improve flexibility and increase range of motion. A combination of dry needling and physical therapy can help regain and restore your range of motion and muscle strength.
Speed Up Muscle Recovery
If you suffer from any injury, recovery is the worst and longest process. Some injuries may even take months or years to heal fully. With dry needling, the injured muscle becomes more relaxed and blood circulation is improved leading to pain relief and a shorter recovery period.
Relieves Chronic Pain
Dry needling can help ease chronic pain conditions, fibromyalgia, and myofascial pain syndrome. Dry needling for chronic pain targets the trigger point developed within the stressed muscle. The procedure is effective in relaxing the muscle so that it can return to normal mobility with less pain. However, expect pain within 24 to 48 hours after the dry needling procedure.
At Polygon PT, our expert therapists are trained to help you reach your full potential in terms of improving your health and recovering from certain conditions such as muscle injuries.
Our mission is to work with our clients in order to help them heal and relieve pain so that they can reclaim their active life.
Also, we ensure to provide a specialized and modified drug-free treatment to each one of our clients. We put a big emphasis on comfort and ensure to provide care to help you reach your goal of achieving that sweet relief.
In that sense, we can work together to regain your strength and life, in general!
Book an appointment with us for dry needling in Houston!
