Small Point, Big Pain Relief
Whether you’ve lifted a heavy weight improperly, done a motion too many times, had bad posture, or taken any number of other actions, your chronic pain can use all the help it can get! Fortunately, Dr. Z here at AlignRight Chiropractic is happy to provide dry needling as an additional technique for helping patients with chronic pain associated with tight muscles. If you’re interested in learning more about this exciting procedure, keep reading the information below and then <a href=”https://alignrightchiropractic.com/contact-us1/”>reach out to us</a> to schedule your first visit!
What Is Dry Needling?
Dry needling is a holistic method of addressing muscle pain. It utilizes thin needles inserted in strategic places called trigger points to release tension. At first glance, dry needling seems to resemble acupuncture, and while both use thin needles, they are different in philosophy and technique. Acupuncture focuses on balancing energy flow, and dry needling has a more Western, evidence-based approach.
How Does Dry Needling Work?
A thin needle, when placed correctly in a trigger point or muscle knot, releases tension by breaking up adhesions in muscle fibers. In the process, it relaxes muscles and nerves, providing pain relief. When we perform dry needling, we typically treat multiple places simultaneously that can work together for more complete comfort. After we identify a trigger point, we insert the thin needle and leave it for several minutes. Depending on the severity of the knot, we may slightly manipulate the needle for deeper tension release.
Who Can Dry Needling Help?
This treatment protocol is perfect for chiropractors to do because it focuses on musculoskeletal issues, which is their specialty! Basically, anyone with the following could benefit from dry needling:
- Neck, back, and sciatic pain
- Headaches and migraines
- Muscle strains and sprains
- Repetitive motion injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome or tennis elbow
- Rotator cuff tendonitis
- Plantar fasciitis
- Fibromyalgia
- Pelvic floor dysfunction
In other words, any condition with localized muscle tension can be treated through dry needling.
Benefits of Dry Needling
In addition to pain relief, dry needling results in other positive outcomes for healing, including:
- Reduction in inflammation.
- Improvement in blood flow and flushing out of harmful biochemicals.
- Restoration of normal nerve signaling.
- Less muscle compensation and better posture.
- Increased range of motion, function, and flexibility.
- Better performance for athletes.
One of the most prevalent benefits of this treatment is that it requires no medications and is less invasive than surgery. Either combined with traditional chiropractic care or performed on its own, dry needling can significantly help patients who deal with chronic pain.