Dry needling is a modern treatment used to ease muscular pain. It can greatly benefit those who suffer from sports injuries, muscle pain and fibromyalgia pain. Let’s explore what exactly dry needling is and how it can benefit you.
What is Dry Needling?
Dry needling is the practice of using sterile, fine filament needles and placing them in trigger points in your muscle or tissue. Trigger points are tight bands of muscle fibres which are commonly referred to as knots, which can be the source for pain. The goal of this treatment is to trigger a muscle twitch response which helps to relieve pain and stiffness in these areas. This also helps the muscles to relax and boosts your body’s production of natural pain killers called endorphins.
Dry Needling for Back Pain Relief
Back pain is a common issue in today’s world, as we spend more time sitting - and often slouching – we can develop various knots or stiffness in our back muscles. If you have ever experienced back pain, you know just how much of an effect it can have on your day-to-day life. Dry needling has been seen to be a valuable method when it comes to treating back pain. You can target exactly where the trigger point is present, meaning the tension in the tight band of muscle in your spine or back is released, allowing the muscle to stretch and contract more easily.
Benefits of Dry Needling
1. Fast Pain Relief
In the process of inserting the needles into the muscle - the physiology of the muscle membrane and tissue changes. The nerve impulse travels to the spine and back out to the muscle; rather than travelling up to the brain. This disconnection from the brain allows immediate pain relief in the moment of the treatment. Over time, this can greatly reduce long term pain.
2. Regain Range of Motion
Long term sufferers of muscle pain can experience reduced range of motion in their day-to-day life. This can have an impact on their quality of life as simple tasks can cause them great discomfort. With a dry needling treatment plan, many patients have seen the benefits over time as they regain their range of motion thanks to the reduced muscle pain.
3. Accelerate Recovery
Athletes are more prone to injury then the general public. Unfortunately that can mean months of training and competing can be lost due to the recovery time required. Dry needling can stimulate the affected muscles and speed up the healing process when compared to other therapy options. Therefore, helping athletes to regain their strength and get back to doing what they love.
4. Improve Chronic Pain Conditions
Dry needling directly targets muscles that are causing pain, which may not normally be reached through massage or physical therapy. For those who suffer from chronic pain it can offer great relief to pain that may otherwise go untreated. With the added benefit of offering a potential method which over time could reduce the debilitating effects of their chronic pain.
5. Reduce Reliance on Pain Medication
In a time, when there seems to be a pill for everything, it is important to note that pain medication is not directly treating the issue at hand but rather dulling its effects instead. The main issue that arises from this is that over time, we can develop a tolerance to certain substances and in turn need to increase the dosage in order to feel their effect. While it is a short-term solution - it can become cumbersome on the body overtime to be reliant on pain medications. Dry needling can offer a more sustainable solution to your pain management and reduce reliance on these medications.
Final Words on Dry Needling
Dry needling can offer great benefits to those suffering from muscle pain and can be a great solution for professional athletes looking to reduce their recovery time.
If you are interested in exploring the benefits of dry needling and would like to book your first appointment, get in touch today!