Are you dealing with chronic pain? Have you tried other forms of physical therapy (also known as PT) but are open to trying something new? Do you want precision pain treatment with a physical therapist in Papillion, Nebraska that can deal with your problems at their source?
If you answered yes to any of those questions, you need to consider dry needling.
Did you read that last sentence and immediately wonder, ‘what is dry needling?’ If so, you’re in luck. We’re going to teach you everything you need to know about this popular treatment in this blog post.
What is Dry Needling?
Dry needling is a kind of pain therapy that uses incredibly thin filiform needles to penetrate your skin, fascia, and muscles. This is done to treat problems with adhesions, trigger points, and connective tissues that may be the source of your discomfort.
Wondering how thin needles could be the best way to treat pain? Small punctures can help speed up the healing process and relieve pain by increasing joint range motion, correcting movement dysfunction, and decreasing muscle hypertonicity.
Is Dry Needling Acupuncture?
We know that dry needling sounds very similar to acupuncture, but it’s important to know that there’s a significant difference between the two therapies.
Acupuncture is an ancient and traditional treatment that focuses on realigning energies. The overall goal of an acupuncture session is to realign energy flow within the body to cure various ailments.
Dry needling is much more than sticking needles into bodies. It includes an extensive physical examination, along with movement analysis, orthopedic evaluation, and myotomal and dermatomal testing.
Dry needling is done by a trained chiropractor or physical therapist that has extensive knowledge of human skeletal and neuroanatomy. The person performing dry needling knows how to identify damaged or overworked tissues, taut bands, and other important trigger points.
What are the Benefits of Dry Needling?
Now that you understand how dry needling works, you may be curious about how it could help your physical therapy work.
The truth is that dry needling comes with a variety of benefits that go beyond pain relief. If you’re curious about whether dry needling is right for you, see if you’re interested in any of these big pros.
Improve Range of Motion
Are you feeling a little stiff after an injury? Improved flexibility and range of motion are often reported after dry needling sessions. Your muscles are healed, engaged, and ready to work.
Speedy Recovery
Do you feel like it’s taking longer than usual to heal from an injury? Dry needling can help your body bounce back faster.
Dry needling can release the lactic acid that’s stored in the muscles and allow for better blood flow and oxygen in the affected area. This can help speed up the healing process.
Precision Treatment
One of the biggest benefits of dry needling is that it can easily isolate and treat problem areas in the body. Instead of having to treat a wide area, you’ll be able to pinpoint your pain!
What is Dry Needling?: The Next Step in Your PT
Now that you’ve had your “what is dry needling” question answered, it’s time to start incorporating it into your routine.
Are you ready for your first dry needling session? Are you curious about other helpful services we can provide? Get in touch with us so we can start working on the best PT plan for you!
