Dry Needling
Treatment for Pain, Overall Wellness & Stress Management
Dry Needling Treatment
Although masked by an intimidating name, dry needling is an effective and modern treatment to relieve your pain with minimal discomfort.
The dry needling technique focuses on myofascial pain by directly targeting trigger points that hold knotted or hard muscle. These developed trigger points may restrict one’s range of motion, alter normal movement patterns, and cause referred pain.
It works to relieve pain and restore impairments of the body’s function by placing very fine filiform needles into the muscle for shorter or longer periods of time. In doing so, a healing response is stimulated to provide relief in muscle tension. These needles are incredibly fine as many may not feel the first insertion!
We have found it to be an effective technique and offer it to many of our patients who fit the criteria, when and where it would be effective.
As dry needling at IPM is used in combination with a patient’s overall therapy plan, it is most commonly used to treat muscular pain. This technique may also treat:
Headaches and Migraines
Sciatica
Neck pain
Lateral and Medial Epicondylitis
(Tennis Elbow/Golfer’s Elbow)Low Back Pain
Joint Problems
Whiplash
Carpal Tunnel
Jaw and Mouth Problems
Groin/Hamstring Strains
Watch Dr. Scott Kenny discuss and demonstrate dry needling.
Our Dry Needling Technique
The technique of dry needling at IPM is performed by highly trained healthcare professionals. It can involve a variety of techniques depending on the course of treatment.
IPM practitioners will work to provide the best course of technique as each session may vary. With extensive education in the anatomy of the human body, we target precise areas of discomfort to stimulate myofascial trigger point releases, fascia and connective tissue. In doing so, this stimulation prompts the body’s healing response to bring blood to repair the targeted area.
No referral necessary.
What You Can Expect
Dry needling locations are situated in multiple areas of the body. Sometimes the appropriate points are removed from the area of your pain. However, these points are directly connected to, and affect many other points further away.
To determine the type of relief that will help you the most, your doctor or practitioner may ask you about your symptoms, behaviors, and lifestyle. This initial evaluation and treatment may take up to sixty minutes. Subsequent appointments usually take about a half-hour to forty five minutes.
All of our dry needling procedures are done in quiet, private exam rooms. A common treatment plan for a single issue may involve multiple treatments a week and may also be a part of a broader therapy plan including chiropractic adjustments and skilled rehab. The number of treatments will depend on the condition being treated and its severity. In general, it is common to receive six to eight treatments but every person’s body and every person’s healing reactions vary.
During the Procedure
Your dry needling practitioner will tell you the general site of the planned treatment and whether you need to remove any clothing. If so, a gown, towel or sheet will be provided. You lie on a padded table for the treatment.
During the dry needling treatment, one of our trained physicians insert thin sterilized, single-use needles into specific locations at various depths and times in your body. The insertion of the needles usually causes very little discomfort. In some cases, patients do not feel them inserted at all. Several needles may be used during a typical treatment.
Your practitioner may gently move the needles after placement or apply mild electrical pulses to the needles to receive maximum relief. The length of time the needles will be left in will vary. The needles may remain in place for only a few minutes based upon muscle twitch response or needles can be left in for thirty to forty five minutes for further treatment. All while you lie still and relax and can listen to music if you want! When it is time to remove them, there is usually no discomfort in this process and also little to no blood.
After the Procedure
After dry needling, soreness is very normal as you will note improvements in your symptoms within one to two days. Your practitioner will work with you to determine the optimal post-treatment plan. If your symptoms do not begin to improve, dry needling may not be right for you, and other treatment options will be advised to include, but not limited to chiropractic treatment, physical therapy, regenerative medicine and/or massage therapy.
Is Dry Needling Right For You?
If you are in pain or are interested in finding out more, contact us to make an appointment to see if dry needling is the right treatment for you. No referral necessary.