What is a Trigger Point?

Before delving into the various issues that dry needling treats, we feel it is important to outline the basics of a trigger point.

A trigger point is the presence of tenderness within a band of muscle that is tight, commonly identified as “knots”.

As a result of the tightness and tenderness, pain may be experienced. This pain may then refer out at various other locations within the body.

What is Done During Dry Needling?

When a clinician performs dry needling, they simply push very small, solid, and relatively thin needles directly through the skin into a trigger point.

These needles do not contain medication. They simply stimulate the tissue that they come into contact with.

These needles may be placed just below the skin or deeper.

The amount of time the needles are left in the area depends upon the severity of the issue being treated.

The needles may be placed for a period of seconds or up to a period of 15 minutes.

The Issues

The following outlines the most common issues that benefit from dry needling:

• Disc Strain – This occurs when the discs in the back are subjected to any type of force or any type of load that exceeds that which the soft tissues in the area may successfully cope. In most instances, irritation, inflammation, and pain occur.
• Jaw Problems – One of the most common of all jaw problems is temporomandibular joint disorder or TMD. This causes compromises in the movements within the jaw and the muscles that surround the area. It can cause pain, problems in chewing, and the locking of the joint of the jaw.
• Joint Problems – This is physical levels of discomfort where at least two bones meet to create a joint. These problems may be caused by overuse, lack of use, strains, sprains, and underlying medical conditions, such as arthritis.
• Migraine Headaches – These types of headaches are marked by varying degrees of intensity and often include the symptoms of nausea and having sensitivity to light and/or sound. For many, these headaches are disabling.
• Night Cramps – These are leg cramps that occur at night. These cramps may be identified as “nocturnal leg cramps”. These result in painful muscle spasms or contractions within the legs. Some cases may be caused by dehydration, exercise, and even lack of muscle use. In other instances, it could be a result of an underlying medical condition such as low potassium levels. Most of the time, doctors are unable to identify the culprit.
• Pelvic Pain – This may occur with both women and men. Infections, pelvic bone pain, abnormalities in the organs, menstruation, and trauma may cause this type of pain.
• Phantom Pain – This type of pain occurs with a body part that is no longer part of the body. It is most commonly experienced after amputation. Once believed it was a psychological issue, it has now been found that the sensations are real and that they stem from the brain and the spinal cord.
• Post-Herpetic Neuralgia – This is a type of prolonged pain that occurs in the skin of individuals that have experienced a bout of shingles. It stems from the damage to the nerve fibers during the outbreak. Messages cannot be properly sent to the brain and become confused. As a result, severe pain may be experienced.
• Repetitive Motion Disorders – This includes a large variety of muscular-based conditions that occur because of repeated motions engaged in. These disorders include muscle pain, nerve pain, and impact the tendons and the ligaments. Examples of these conditions include carpal tunnel syndrome, bursitis, and tendonitis.
• Spinal Problems – These include injuries and diseases that negatively impact the spine. Examples include spinal stenosis, osteoarthritis, herniated disk, sciatica, scoliosis, and cervical spondylosis.
• Whiplash – This is a type of neck injury that occurs because the neck has experienced a fast back and forth movement that was extremely forceful. This is most commonly experienced in vehicle accidents, but may occur in other circumstances, too.

Is There Anyone That Should Not Have Dry Needling Performed?

While dry needling is considered to be safe and effective, those that are pregnant, afraid of needles, and/or do not understand the treatment should not have the procedure performed. In all cases, a doctor should be consulted prior to setting up an appointment for dry needling. If you have recently had surgery or you are on any type of medication that thins the blood, a doctor’s approval is necessary. Adverse effects of the procedure include soreness, bleeding, fainting, fatigue, and organ puncture (though very rare).

Contact Us Today

We here at Back to Motion Physical Therapy offer dry needling to our patients. If you have a condition that is not listed in this brief guide, contact us. It could be one of the many issues that benefit from dry needling therapy. You will experience numerous benefits from this procedure. These include:

• Decreased Soreness
• Increased Levels of Flexibility
• Relaxation of the Muscles
• Reduced Pain

The needles that we utilize are so small that they rarely cause any pain when placed in the skin. Once the needle makes contact with the muscle, a twitch will occur. After, you may have a bit of referred pain and muscle soreness. You may also experience general levels of fatigue. The number of treatments that will be appropriate for you will depend on the issue you are being treated for. If you would like to learn more or want to set up an appointment, contact us now.

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You may be feeling the full effects of the plummeting temperatures in your muscles and joints. In cold weather, the muscles lose heat and contract, which results in tightness. Range of motion is lost and nerves may become pinched more easily.

In winter, the atmospheric pressure on joints is decreased. This expands the joints, which stretches the tissues immediately surrounding the area. In turn, the nerve endings are irritated and pain occurs.

The good news is, dry needling can assist in providing immediate relief from both muscle and joint pain.

What is Dry Needling?

Dry needling is a manual technique that a licensed physical therapist utilizes to assist individuals suffering from general muscle and joint pain. It may be used all year long – not just during the winter months. It is just that the winter weather seems to result in the highest level of discomfort among those that are sensitive. This is why so many individuals pursue this type of treatment during cold weather months.

The “needle” that is used is not a traditional needle. It is a monofilament product that is as thin as hair and highly flexible.

During dry needling, the therapist inserts the sterile needle into the affected muscle or near the joint that is causing pain. This causes a contraction of the muscle and an immediate release. Upon this “release” the immune system is activated. This instantly increases the blood flow to the impacted region, which aids in the promotion of healing. This not only helps in resolving pain, it also reduces stiffness in the area, optimizes the functionality of the muscles, and improves flexibility.

Is Dry Needling the Same as Acupuncture?

While it appears that dry needling is the same as acupuncture, there are distinct differences.

• Dry needling actually places a focus on intense stimulation of the muscles in the area so that they will contract and immediately release. Acupuncture does not stimulate.
• It is a process that is based on a unique “channel theory” and uses the points in order to heal in a slow, natural manner.
• Dry needling is science-based and based on various levels of medical research and principles of the western world. Acupuncture stems from traditional types of Chinese medicine.

Which is More Effective – Dry Needling or Acupuncture?

While both dry needling and acupuncture are considered to be effective, research has established that dry needling is much more effective in reducing both pain and sensitivity within the muscles and the joints of the body.

Common Culprits of Aches and Pain in the Winter Months

As mentioned previously, cold weather results in different changes within the muscles and around the joints that may result in pain. In addition to the previously-mentioned causes, the following may also have a detrimental impact on those that are sensitive to the changes to the conditions of the winter months:

1. Barometric Pressure Changes – The muscles, tendons, and even scar tissue in the body will undergo a process of expansion and contraction due to the barometric pressure changes that occur during the winter months. As a result, pain is often experienced.
2. Joint Fluid Changes – When the outdoor temperatures drop, the fluid in and around the joints within the body may start to thicken. When this happens, the joints experience a state of stiffness, which often results in pain.
3. Inactivity – During the winter months, temperatures drop, rain is common, snow may fall, and ice may develop. As a result, most individuals stay inside to avoid the environmental conditions. When a person fails to move as often as usual, pain and stiffness may negatively impact the muscles and the areas surrounding the joints.

What is the Dry Needling Procedure Like?

Dry needling is considered to be a minimally invasive procedure that is performed by a physical therapist. It is used to treat pain, impairments that are functional-based, and various types of physical disabilities. The dry needles are inserted directly within the skin and no injection is given. This allows the practitioner to focus their energy on targeting areas of the body that may not benefit from other types of manual therapy.

The needles that are used in the dry needling procedure are inserted in a subcutaneous manner into various components of the body. These may include ligaments, tendons, neurovascular bundles, fascia, peripheral nerves, and even scar tissue. The needles are then capable of altering the structures themselves and the functionality of the body. Most cases involve inserting the needles into special knots within the skeletal muscle. These are identified among professionals as “myofascial trigger points” or “MTrP”, for short.

Once the dry needles are inserted into the trigger points, they rub against the nerve endings. This – in turn – initiates what is called a “local twitch response”. This causes a relatively strong neural-based impulse. This provides a kind of break in the trigger point circuitry of the body, which aids in the overall relief of pain.

Is There Anyone Who Should Not Have Dry Needling Performed?

Physical therapists will conduct a variety of assessments in order to determine the best course of action for a patient. Those who are not considered to be a good candidate for dry needling include the following:

• Needle Phobia – If an individual is frightened of needles, they may not be an ideal candidate; however, some physical therapists have found that if such a person is educated on the procedure that may undergo the procedure, even if they suffer from a needle phobia.
• Cognitively Impaired – Those that have a significant level of cognitive impairment may not qualify for dry needling because they must be able to understand the treatment and must give consent.
• Bleeding Disorders or Anticoagulant Therapy – If a person bleeds abnormally or is on anticoagulants, they are not considered ideal candidates.
• Metal Allergies – Patients that are allergic or even sensitive to metals such as chromium or even nickel are not ideal candidates for this form of therapy.

Are There Different Dry Needling Techniques?

Yes, there are different techniques used in dry needling. The following outlines each, with a short description:

1. Myofascial Trigger Point Technique – This technique involves inserting dry needles directly into a trigger point to result in immediate release.
2. Intramuscular Stimulation – This technique inserts needles at the site of the pain and in the paraspinal muscles associated with the segment of spine that is responsible for innervating the culprit muscle.
3. Deep Versus Superficial Needling – This inserts a needle in the soft tissues that are located above the trigger points, but at a depth of up to 10mm. The needle is left in for a half of a minutes and removed. If pain continues, the process is performed again and the needles may be left for up to 3 minutes.
4. Ultrasound Dry Needling – This simply uses an ultrasound machine to guide the needle directly into the trigger points.

Dry needling is so effective for so many things. Check out this infographic for a quick review of all the things dry needling can help.

Do you suffer from immense pain in the muscles or the joints during the winter months? If so, you may be a good candidate for the dry needling treatment. In addition to increasing your comfort during the cold weather months, this treatment may be used all year long. You may contact us here at Back to Motion Physical Therapy today to set up an appointment.

The post Instant Pain Relief with Dry Needling appeared first on Back To Motion. Denver Physical Therapy..

What are Trigger Points in the Body?

A trigger point is a palpable-based nodule, located in the bands of the fascia within a skeletal muscle. It is considered to be a hyperirritable location. These are exceptionally tender. Trigger points are considered to be highly tender when it comes to touch. They have the capability of referring pain to various areas of the body. Affected muscles may result in pain that results in a decrease in the overall range of motion if a trigger point is activated.

Why is Trigger Point Dry Needling Done?

Trigger point dry needling is performed in order to directly treat the muscle tissue. Once performed, the dry needling will result in the inactivation of trigger points. This aids in reducing pain that is being experienced by a patient and restoring complete functioning. In most instances, trigger point dry needling is done in conjunction with physical therapy interventions to ensure optimal success.

How Long Does It Take for Trigger Point Dry Needling to Work for Patients?

For most patients, decreased pain and improvements in mobility are experienced within 24-hours of undergoing a trigger point dry needling session. For other patients, relief is experienced over the course of a 2-3 week period, with sessions being performed at least once a week.

What Conditions Does Dry Needling Help With?

There are several medical conditions that patients suffer where relief may be experienced after having a trigger point dry needling procedure performed. These include -but are not limited to -the following:

• Athletic Overuse of Muscles and/or Injuries
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• Chronic Pain
• Frozen Shoulder
• Fibromyalgia
• Headaches
• Hip Pain
• IT Band Syndrome
• Knee Pain
• Lower Back Pain
• Muscle Spasms and Disorders
• Neck Pain
• Post-Traumatic Injuries
• Repetitive Strain Injuries
• Sciatic Pain
• Shoulder Pain
• Tennis Elbow
• TMJ
• Work-Related Injuries

If you are interested in trigger point dry needling and do not see your condition listed above, talk to your primary care provider or a physical therapist to determine if the procedure is ideal for you. In most instance of muscular pain and discomfort, dry needling is considered to be an ideal treatment.

What are the Benefits of Trigger Point Dry Needling?

There are several unique benefits associated with trigger point dry needling. The following outlines the advantages you will experience in having this procedure performed:

1. Direct Access – Physical therapists that conduct trigger point dry needling sessions are capable of treating deep layers and other sections of the muscles that are not reachable by the hands.
2. Faster Relief – This procedure works much faster than massage therapy sessions in relaxing the muscles that are targeted.
3. No Medications – This procedure does not utilize any type of medication. Therefore, not only are potentially harmful side effects not experienced, but several of the trigger points within the body may be treated at once.
4. Pain Relief and Tightness Reduction – Dry needling helps to relieve both pain and tightness that is experienced within the muscles. Many that have this procedure performed find that they experience immediate relief.
5. Improvements in Range of Motion – Patients that have trigger point dry needling performed find that they almost instantly experience improvements in terms of range of motion.
6. Faster Recovery – Dry needling has been found to be effective in improving the amount of time that it takes to recover. It works very fast to speed up healing.
7. Cost Effective – The trigger point dry needling process is a very cost-effective solution to treating pain, inflammation, injuries, and other situations. It is significantly cheaper than the use of prescription drugs and/or surgery.
8. Circulation Improvement – This procedure is very effective in improving the circulation of blood throughout the body.
9. Oxygen Circulation – In addition to improving the circulation of the blood through the body, dry needling also aids in improving the circulation of oxygen throughout the body -all of which will help optimize the body’s mechanisms for healing.
10. The Ultimate Treatment Plan – Trigger point dry needling is a procedure that is just one component of a larger, more ultimate treatment plan. It is an essential component to a multi-point technique that includes an analysis of your movements, the issuance of targeted exercises, and several other interventions as outlined by a physical therapist that will allow you to live your absolutely best life.

What is the Difference Between Dry Needling and Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is an Eastern medical treatment that emphasizes the energy of the body in overall relation to its meridians. Dry Needling is a Western practice that targets areas within the actual muscles. While both use needles that are much less the same, this is the only comparison that is similar.

Does Trigger Point Dry Needling Hurt?

The needles used in dry needling are very small filament needles. While it is true that many may feel the needle enter the skin, it is typically not an uncomfortable experience. Many people are taken back by the fact that needles are used. The feeling experienced when the needle enters the skin is much less than that of a vaccination needle or the needles used to draw blood from the body. Once the needle reaches the muscle, an instant twitch sensation is likely to occur. A small cramp-like sensation may occur, but it typically lasts between 15 seconds and 30 seconds. There may be mild soreness in the muscle up anywhere from 12 hours to 24 hours. The benefits and relief experienced after a sense far outweigh the mild discomfort that may occur.

How Will I Feel Following a Dry Needling Session?

Immediately following the procedure, you will find that you have a lower level of pain and that your mobility almost instantly improves. Yes, you may experience a minimal amount of soreness; however, it is more common for the muscle pinpointed to have some fatigue. These symptoms may last up to a day. Some patients experience them for up to 2 days. By remaining active, your soreness level will be minimal. You may continue all of the normal activities that you currently engage in.

Is There Research on Dry Needling?

Yes, quite a bit of research has been done regarding dry needling. Nearly all studies have concluded that it is an effective procedure for relieving pain that is mild to moderate, in nature. When compared to placebo-based treatments, the dry needling definitely provided more relief to patients. When combined with a physical therapy treatment plan, it has been found to provide optimal relief for pain sufferers.

What are the Side Effects to Trigger Point Dry Needling?

It is common to experience some mild side effects following a Trigger Point Dry Needing session. Serious side effects are very rare. In most instances, only bruising and light bleeding may occur around the injection site. It is common to experience a small amount of soreness after the procedure, too. You should always ensure that the provider of the procedure uses sterile needles that are disposed immediately following usage. If non-sterile needles are used, serious side effects such as the development of an infection, the contraction of diseases, and the possibility of getting bloodborne illnesses may occur.

What Other Treatments May be Used with Dry Needling for Trigger Point Relief?

There are several different treatments that may be used for trigger point relief with dry needling. These include -but are not limited to -the following:

1. Exercises that are designed to aid in posture control and optimizing the way that the body moves
2. Kinesiology-based therapy with taping
3. Therapeutic-based modalities such as electrical stimulation and ultrasound technology
4. Massage therapy

How is Trigger Point Therapy Performed?

During trigger point therapy, a physical therapist will press in and hold in trigger points while using a dry needle to stimulate the associated muscles. This stops the circulation on a temporary basis. In turn, a chemical is released – nitric oxide. This chemical signals the body to immediately open up the microcapillaries. Once this is done, the blood flow is instantly increased. This helps the pain.

Let Us Help

We here at Back to Motion Physical Therapy specialize in trigger point dry needling. By allowing us to meet with you, we will be able to create a customized treatment plan that combines dry needling with physical therapy. In turn, you will experience increased mobility, functionality, and reduced pain. To learn more, contact us directly today by calling: 303-832-5577

The post Frequently Asked Questions about Trigger Point Dry Needling appeared first on Back To Motion. Denver Physical Therapy..

This course of treatment targets the trigger points in the body. These are sensitive regions of the body such as a tender area located in a muscle that results in the development of generalized musculoskeletal pain when the area becomes overstimulated.

Dry needling physical therapy is referred to as such because there is no solution injected into the body prior to the treatment. Trigger point dry needling is now considered to be an effective treatment for deactivating or shutting down painful, tender, and/or knotted areas within the muscles of the body.

In this brief guide, you will be provided with general information pertaining to dry needling physical therapy.

trigger point dry needling

What is Trigger Dry Needling?

Trigger point dry needling is a treatment that utilizes a small solid-based filament needle. The needle is inserted directly into a contracted muscle. This creates a localized twitch that has the capability of decreasing the contraction of painful and tender muscles.

Additionally, the therapy aids in eliminating the irritation from chemicals and optimizing flexibility within that muscle. As the needle from the therapy enters into the muscle, it creates a small lesion. This lesion will actually make its way through thousands of muscle fibers. As this occurs, the body will immediately consider the needle to be a foreign invader. As a result, the immune system will be immediately activated. Furthermore, an inflammatory reaction will also occur.

Both the immune system response and the inflammatory reaction will result in systematic relief to bouts of pain, discomfort, and inflammation.

The Benefits

While we could expound on the numerous neurological, skeletal, and muscular benefits associated with trigger point dry needling, we have elected to share the following general list of benefits with you:

• If you suffer from pain, you will immediately discover that dry needling physical therapy quickly eliminates that pain – regardless of where it occurs within the body.
• If you have a lot of tension in your body, trigger point dry needling will relieve that tension and provide long-lasting relief.
• If you suffer from injuries that stem from overuse, dry needling will help the body heal and recover.
• Muscles that seem tight, knotted, and ineffective will experience improvements after trigger point needle treatment.
• Trigger point dry needling aids in improving blood flow within the body.
• Muscles are stimulated by the treatment so that they work more effectively.
• Range of motion and flexibility are improved.

Trigger point dry needling provides immediate and long-lasting results for individuals that have injuries from overuse, extreme bouts of chronic pain, and other types of physical-based injuries.

It is possible to treat virtually any muscles within the body and at varying depths. Immediately following a session, you will find that you experience a positive change.

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