Dry needling is a form of physical therapy that involves the use of needles to stimulate and break up knotted or hard muscle tissue – known as trigger points. These trigger points are often found in the muscles that move and control your bones. When these muscle fibers are tight they pinch nerves and blood vessels, which causes pain and dysfunction in the body.
These trigger points can be “active” or “latent.” Active ones are causing pain right now, and latent are not causing pain at the moment but can be set off by movement or other stimuli to become active. When a practitioner uses a dry needling technique, they insert the needle into the trigger point, which causes the twitch that reduces pain and dysfunction.
At Prolete PT & Sports Medicine, we use dry needling for many different conditions and injuries. It’s often paired with electrical stimulation to increase the effectiveness of treatment by creating a gentle contraction and relaxation in the irritable muscle.
Dry needling is safe and effective for most patients who do not have any contraindications or precautions such as those that are prone to bleeding or those on blood thinners. We will do a thorough exam before we offer dry needling to ensure you are a good candidate.
