The Benefits of Dry Needling Therapy
Dry needling is a modern application of pain relief techniques. Often compared to acupuncture, dry needling actually differs substantially from the otherwise similar practice. When applied by a certified physician or physical therapist, dry needling can be a widely beneficial form of pain relief therapy and can treat underlying pain conditions.
Elite Chiropractic is proud to offer certified physicians who are skilled in the application of dry needling. If you are hesitant about dry needling or have been wondering what dry needling does, check out our breakdown of dry needling below.
What is Dry Needling vs Acupuncture
It’s important to break down the differences between these two applications, as they are not interchangeable and do not target the same areas of the body or focuses of the mind.
Dry Needling is using thin needles, inserted into certain areas of the body, to relieve tension and pain. With dry needling therapy, the focus is on trigger points and muscles. With dry needling, you can correct muscle movement, improve mobility, and decrease or entirely eliminate pain.
At Elite, we use dry needling therapy in addition to other pain relieving techniques to target all areas that require improvement and enhanced function.
Acupuncture, however, follows energy pathways throughout the body based on Chinese medicine practices. The focus of acupuncture is often stress relief and chemical releases.
Acupuncture and dry needling both use thin needles without injections, targeting specific areas of the body, but both focus on different target areas of application.
What is Dry Needling Good For
The applications of dry needling therapy are numerous and widespread. Most often, dry needling can be used independently or as part of a larger pain relief plan.
This is because the applications of dry needling are applied to different underlying conditions, some of which can be resolved easily with a few dry needling appointments. Other conditions may require dry needling in addition to other treatment plans to help complement the process or speed it along.
At Elite Chiropractic, we have found dry needling to be used in numerous applications and help to treat a myriad of injuries or chronic issues. Some of the most common reasons to implement a dry needling therapy approach include:
- Sports injuries
- Muscle pain or tension
- Jawn pain
- Headaches or migraines
- Consistent repetitive movements causing knots
- The side effects of bad posture
- Stress
- Untreated soreness or other knots or trigger points
What Are the Benefits of Dry Needling Therapy
Loosen Tight Muscles
Dry needling targets muscle areas and trigger points along muscle groups. This is because, as muscles tighten, they create knots or trigger points. Releasing these tight muscles is key to alleviating pain relief, both directly in the muscle and referred pain.
Tight muscles and knots may be due to an injury, repetitive movements, stress, tension, or old untreated injuries. Tight muscles restrict movement, cause pain, and can lead to long-term stiffness.
The pressure from dry needling therapy targets these trigger points and releases the tension over the course of the dry needling therapy; most patients find relief within 24-48 hours after a session.
Decrease Stiffness
Similar to loosening tight muscles, dry needling therapy benefits include decreasing body stiffness. When muscles are tight, they can create stiff limbs and movements. Over time, you may adjust to the stiffness and not be aware of the loss of mobility or flexibility.
Dry needling therapy targets stiff areas to help alleviate pain and improve overall body function and movements. You will find better flexibility, general movements, and enhanced quality of life.
Pain Relief
The main reason to seek dry needling therapy is that a patient is seeking pain relief. Conditions like tight muscles, soreness, etc., all have a side effect of pain. In some cases, the pain can become chronic and last an extended period of time, months or even years.
Dry needling targets the underlying conditions and provides pain relief to patients. Pain relief is often found within 24-48 hours of the first treatment and with a consistent dry needling therapy approach, patients can become pain-free without depending on the therapy.
Improved Range of Motion
Tight muscles, prolonged stiffness, and old injuries coupled with chronic pain can limit a body’s range of movement. This is because the body associates the movement with pain and over time adapts by stopping the movements. In other cases, the tight muscles actually do not provide the flexibility for a full range of motion anymore.
By releasing the stiffness, tightness, and pain from a specific area in the muscle, patients recover their range of motion. This can occur in the limbs, neck, back, and more.
Faster Recovery
Dry needling is used in the practice of sports medicine because it can speed the recovery following a sports injury. Immediately targetting the tight or sore areas in the muscle groups, dry needling therapy has the great benefit of releasing the tension to help improve the body’s function and mobility.
Not only does dry needling alleviate the tension and tightness, but it can also help stimulate blood flow, which is critical for injury recovery. Dry needling therapy benefits also include releasing a build-up of toxins, which can help oxygenate the body, also aiding in a faster recovery time.
Chronic Pain
Not only does dry needling alleviate pain, but it can also alleviate chronic pain or long-term pain. Sore muscles can create memories in the body of the pain, creating referred pain or pain patterns that affect the body’s movements.
If you’ve been experiencing chronic pain, even after the underlying condition was treated, dry needling therapy may be able to help. Dry needling targets the tight area and the trigger points around the pain area.
The improved blood flow and release of toxins to the area has a powerful pain-relieving effect, even when other pain relief techniques have fallen short.
Talk to Our Chiropractors About Dry Needling Benefits Today
Dry needling is more than muscle soreness or tight area. Dry needling therapy is based on stress, mobility, and releasing the tension the body holds and creates knots around. While it can be an intimidating procedure, when done by a proper professional care physician it has many benefits for the body.
Athletes, those who have experienced injuries, and patients suffering from repetitive movements or restricted mobility can all find pain relief and enhanced body function with dry needing therapy.
About the Author
Dr. Bross is the owner of Elite Chiropractic and Sport. He serves as a Certified Chiropractic Sports Practitioner (CCSP) and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. His unique approach to individualized patient care is based on the evaluation and treatment of the “whole” person.
Dr. Bross is a leader in the promotion of health and wellness. He has accumulated an extensive knowledge of the musculoskeletal and nutritional components of the human body. He is skilled in the Graston Technique, Active Release Technique, and Sports Medicine.
