4 Health Benefits of Dry Needling
Trigger points can turn into a constant source of pain. Touching the trigger point often causes pain in other parts of your body.
As long as the trigger point exists, it keeps activating nerves and sending pain messages to your brain. This ongoing stimulation makes nerves more sensitive, which in turn leads to increased trigger point pain.
Dry needling is a great way to break the cycle of trigger point pain.
Inserting an acupuncture-like needle into the trigger point relaxes the muscles, boosts blood flow, diminishes inflammation, and triggers a healing response. This treatment also improves nerve communication and activates the release of your body’s natural pain relievers.
Trigger Point Basics
A trigger point is a small area of tightly knotted muscle fibers. These knots develop when the muscle contracts and then doesn’t relax. In addition to creating a painful, hard, knot, the ongoing muscle contraction also pinches your nerves and blood vessels.
These are some causes of trigger points:
- Repetitive muscle movements
- Lifting heavy weights or objects
- Direct injury
- Poor posture
- Tense muscles
- Chronic stress
Though knotted muscles commonly occur while you’re using your muscles, they can also develop from a lack of exercise, prolonged sitting, or time spent with bed rest. Without exercise, your muscles weaken and become more susceptible to developing a trigger point.
1. Get Fast Pain Relief
Your pain improves as the knot relaxes and blood flow improves. Better circulation means that painful, acidic wastes get carried away while your muscles receive the oxygen and nutrients they need to heal.
Many patients experience an immediate reduction in local and widespread pain after one dry needling session. Others may need several sessions to achieve optimum pain relief. Your treatment plan depends on the severity and number of trigger points.
2. Regain Your Range of Motion
If you have multiple trigger points, you may experience limited mobility. And when you’re not active, your muscles weaken and lose mass.
We often combine dry needling with soft tissue techniques and exercise prescription to rebuild your strength and fully restore your range of motion. We will also focus on preventing future trigger points.
3. Accelerate Your Recovery
Whether you have suffered an injury or had surgery, moving your body is the best way to promote healing and speed up your recovery. Using dry needling to reduce your pain levels accelerates this healing process.
4. Improve Chronic Pain Conditions
Dry needling can help with easing two chronic pain conditions, myofascial pain syndrome and fibromyalgia.
Myofascial pain syndrome occurs when trigger points develop in the fascia, a sheet of connective tissue that surrounds and supports all your muscles, nerves, blood vessels, and organs. Dry needling and physical therapy are among the best treatments for this chronic pain condition.
Fibromyalgia causes widespread pain and tenderness in your muscles. The pain affects the way you move, which in turn leads to trigger points. Patients who have fibromyalgia and get dry needling often experience significant improvement in their overall pain.
