Dry Needling
What Is Dry Needling?
Dry needling is a form of therapy in which fine needles are inserted into myofascial trigger points (painful knots in muscles), tendons, ligaments, or near nerves in order to stimulate a healing response in painful musculoskeletal conditions.
Dry needling IS NOT acupuncture or Oriental Medicine; that is, it does not have the purpose of altering flow of energy (“Qi”- pronounced chee) along traditional Chinese Meridians for the treatment of diseases.
In fact, dry needling is a modern, science-based intervention for the treatment of pain and dysfunction in musculoskeletal conditions such as neck pain, shoulder impingement, tennis elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome, headaches, knee pain, shin splints, plantar fasciitis, and low back pain.
Let's Talk More About It
We know you have questions about dry needling. Let's go through them. Is it...
Painful?
The needle used in the procedure is very thin and most patients don’t even feel it penetrate the skin. The twitch response usually elicits a very brief (less than a second) painful response. Some patients describe this feeling as a little electrical shock or cramping sensation.
Safe?
Yes, Dr. Brent has completed an extensive dry needling certification from AAMT and is credentialed and certified to perform dry needling in Florida. Safety is Dr. Brent’s highest priority. Each client is individually screened to ensure they are a good candidate for dry needling.
Effective?
Yes, dry needling is especially useful early in treatment to help break the pain cycle. Majority of my clients report positive outcomes in as little as 1-3 treatments. If there is no change in symptoms or pain after three treatments, a re-evaluation will be performed.
Are There Side Effects To The Treatment?
Most patients report feeling sore following the procedure. Symptoms are usually described as sore muscles near the treatment area and in the areas of referred pain. Typically, the soreness lasts a few hours up to two days. Over this time, we may recommend applying heat or ice over the area, gentle stretching, and/or modifying your daily activities, depending on your individual response to the treatment and how sore you feel.
And YES! The needles are ALWAYS sterile. We only use sterile, single use, high quality disposable needles.
