Introduction to dry needling
How Mike became dry needling certified
There are multiple certifying bodies
Just a piece of the puzzle of treating patients
Dry needling can be done by physicians, physical therapists, acupuncturists or other healthcare provider
Fine monofilament needle inserted into the tissue
No medication needed in the needle
Wet needling is different
Dry needling is similar to acupuncture in that they both use similar needle types
Dry needling cam have an analgesic effect
Arthritic pain may be not be recommeneded for dry needling
If there is presence of trigger points ot active trigger points, dry needling would be indicated
Is dry needling the same as acupuncture
Insert the monofilament needle into the trigger point
Quadriceps
Used needles in leg to address low back pain
Where do you focus the needles with pain
Focus the needles in the area with the most pain
Depth of needle penetration is based upon the area of the body
Dry needling typically is deeper than acupuncture
Is dry needling effective?
What evidence based research is available for dry needling?
Needling needs to be a part of what you do, not all of what you do.
Dry needling needs to be used in conjunction with other tools and modalities
What is a trigger point?
Trigger point is a taught band that refers pain to another area
Point tenderness is not necessarily a trigger point
Different chemicals are present in a trigger point
End plate
Over time, if trigger points remain, muscles can shorten and decrease in length
Inflammatory markers are present in trigger points
Massage can also be beneficial for trigger points
A targeted trigger point can be
Release a trigger point using dry needling and then what?
Apply deep pressure and then stretch that area
Get the muscle moving and retrain the muscle after releasing that trigger point
Manual therapy and reactivation are needed after release of a trigger point
What if I don’t like needles?
Dry needling needles are a very narrow gauge so it pushes tissue versus boring out skin
Finding the trigger point is more uncomfortable than the actual needle insertion
Muscle can be impeding a function of the body and dry needling can help release some of these conditions
The risks involved with dry needling are very low.
There can be some bruising or hitting a superficial blood vessel can create issues
A very rare risk but serious complication is a pneumothorax.
Dry needling is part of the treatment, it is not the whole treatment
Research does support dry needling
Dry needling can help pain, improve quality of life, improve range of motion, but its not a standalone treatment
Final thoughts on dry needling