Dry Needling

Dry needling involves the insertion of sterile, single-use acupuncture needles directly into myofascial (muscular) trigger points. Research studies have shown that when you insert the needles into trigger points it causes biochemical changes within the body which helps in reducing pain.  

Although DN and acupuncture use the same needles, the technique used is different. DN is based upon Western medicine principles of treating trigger points which differ from acupuncture points.  

Pioneering studies by Dr. Jay Shah and colleagues have shown that inserting needles into trigger points causes biochemical changes which alleviate pain. It is essential to elicit local "twitch" responses within the muscle, which are the first steps to breaking the pain cycle and releasing tight trigger points within muscles.  

The initial insertion of the needle does not usually cause any discomfort. The local twitch response may cause a brief painful reaction.  

Soreness may occur after being DN. The soreness is described as muscle soreness over the area treated and into the ares of referred symptoms. Typically the soreness can last between a few hours and 2 days. However, many patients report that their pain begins to alleviate within 24 hours.