There are many types of holistic therapies that practitioners have used to get their clients back out on the field, on the court, in the gym, or just back to their normal, pain-free day-to-day life. One of these therapies is dry needling therapy.
Dry needling therapy uses thin, sterile, filament-type needles that are inserted into the skin and muscle tissues.
The goal of this type of therapy is to release myofascial trigger points, or knots, in the muscle tissue. Trigger points can happen in any part of the myofascia—in any area of the body—and can range from mild to extremely painful.
What Is The Myofascia & How Does Dry Needling Help?
Myofascia is the dense, fibrous connective tissue that surrounds, supports, and connects all of your muscles. It’s one big continuous web that starts at your head and goes all the way down to your toes.
One of the main functions of the myofascia is to provide support and stability to your muscles as they contract and relax.
The myofascia is also responsible for helping your muscles to slide and glide over each other, which is important for normal movement.
When the myofascia becomes tight or restricted, it can cause pain in the muscle tissue. This is because the muscle is not able to move properly when the myofascia is tight.
Dry needling therapy can help to release these restrictions in the myofascia and improve muscle function.
When these knots (myofascial trigger points) are stimulated by a qualified practitioner, pain can be significantly reduced or relieved, and function and mobility can be restored.
In addition, this form of therapy can increase flexibility and range of motion, as well as relieve muscle spasms and increase blood flow to specific, targeted areas of the body.
Dry Needling & Pain Relief
Dry needling can be highly effective in treating a wide variety of musculoskeletal pain—including neck pain, back pain, and shoulder pain. It has also been shown to be an effective treatment for a wide range of conditions including tendinopathy (tennis elbow), as well as headaches, sciatica, and carpal tunnel syndrome.
Dry needling therapy has also been shown to be effective in the reduction of inflammation related to tendonitis, arthritis, shoulder impingement, and stress fractures.
How Long Does Dry Needling Therapy Take?
A further benefit of dry needling therapy is that it is a comparatively short treatment. A session can be as short as 15 to 30 minutes.
Clients who have undergone dry needling therapy usually feel an immediate improvement in the mobility of the muscles treated. Relief or significant reduction in pain is usually felt within 24 hours following treatment.
Should I Try Dry Needling Therapy?
At the Continuum Health Centre on Vancouver Island, BC, practitioners use dry needling therapy to address repetitive strain injuries, sports injuries, fibromyalgia, and chronic pain. Our practitioners specialize in a host of holistic therapies to accurately assess each client’s injury and recommend the correct therapies.
If you are suffering from a sports injury, muscle knots, chronic pain, or experiencing any of the other health issues mentioned in this article, contact us to see if dry needling therapy is the right treatment for you.