Dry Needling Physical Therapy

Dry needling physical therapy can be appropriate for a wide subset of individuals. Dry needling may be used to treat patients with acute, subacute, and chronic pain and dysfunctions. When the muscle is stimulated with the needle, a twitch or rapid depolarization of the fibers may take place. As a result, the muscle activity reduces dramatically, allowing it to relax while the pain and dysfunction decrease. Dry needling may also stimulate the release of the body’s endogenous opiates, initiating a new healing process.

Dry needling is safe, minimally discomforting, and often effective for patients with certain musculoskeletal presentations. Common conditions appropriate for treatment could include:

• Headaches
• Neck pain
• TMJ (temporal mandible joint) pain
• Plantar fasciitis
• Overuse injuries
• Hip pain
• Knee pain
• Back pain