Dry Needling

Dry Needling
What is dry needling?
Dry needling is a technique physical therapists use (which is allowed by Idaho state law) to treat pain and movement impairments. The physical therapist inserts a “dry” needle, one without medication or injection, into areas of the muscle. Other terms used to describe dry needling include:
- trigger point dry needling
- intramuscular manual therapy
If you are in Pocatello or the surrounding area dealing with PAIN and you’re looking for relief, or if you’d like to gain more information on how dry needling could benefit you, contact Meadowland Therapy today!
What is a trigger point?
A trigger point is a taut band of skeletal muscle within a larger muscle group. Trigger points can be tender to the touch. and may refer pain to other parts of the body when touched.
What kind of needles are used?
Dry needling involves a thin filiform needle. The needle penetrates the skin and stimulates underlying myofascial trigger points and muscular and connective tissues. The needle allows a PT to target tissues they are not able to reach with their hands.
Physical therapists wear gloves and personal protective equipment when dry-needling. The used sterile needles are disposed of in a medical sharps collector.
Does Dry Needling hurt?
Most of our patients report feeling little to no discomfort when undergoing dry needling treatments. Our highly-trained physical therapists know how to make the process as painless as possible; however, some patients may still experience a “twitch response” with the insertion of the needle. This is comparable to a quick muscle cramp or ache. The 24-48 hours following a dry needling treatment may also result in muscle soreness, which should go away on its own. Sore muscles can be treated at home by applying ice and/or heat packs and drinking plenty of fluids.
Why Dry Needling?
Physical therapists usually use dry needling as a part of the customized treatment plan.
Dry needling can release trigger points to relieve pain. Research suggests that dry needling improves:
- reduce pain
- increase blood flow
- reduces muscle tension and tightness
- improves range of motion
- normalize dysfunctions of the motor end plates, from which nerve impulses get transmitted to muscles This can help speed up the patient’s return to active rehab.
This can help speed up the patient’s return to active rehab.
What can dry needling treat?
- Joint issues
- Disc issues
- Tendonitis
- Migraine and tension-type headaches
- Jaw and mouth problems, such as temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders
- Whiplash
- Repetitive motion disorders, such as carpal tunnel syndrome
- Spinal issues
- Pelvic pain
- Phantom limb pain
- Postherpetic neuralgia, a complication of shingles.
Dry needling can speed up recovery time and allow you to return to your daily life as quickly as possible. If you are interested in our Meadowland Therapy dry needling services, don’t hesitate to contact Meadowland Therapy today to schedule a consultation. We’ll get you started on the path toward recovery!