Dry needling offers an effective solution for many types of pain. Your physical therapists at Cumberland Physical Therapy and Rehab in Somerset, KY, offer dry needling and other services and treatments that will help you manage pain and improve mobility.
How dry needling works
Dry needling loosens hard knots in your muscles called trigger points. Trigger points form after a muscle is strained, stressed, or injured. As the injury heals, fibers inside the muscle tighten, which causes the formation of knotty trigger points.
In addition to pain and soreness over the trigger point, you may notice that your pain radiates to other parts of your body. Trigger points may cause muscle spasms and restrict your movements.
During your treatment in the Somerset physical therapy office, needles are inserted into the trigger points. Inserting the needles helps the fibers in the trigger point relax. Dry needling also reduces inflammation and improves blood flow, which helps promote healing. Natural pain control is another benefit of the therapy. Needles insertion triggers the production of endorphins, hormones produced by your body that reduce pain.
The needles used during the treatment don't contain any medication, which is why the treatment is called "dry" needling. Dry needling targets the source of your pain and can prevent it from coming back.
Is dry needling right for you?
Dry needling offers an effective way to reduce or eliminate pain related to many types of injuries and conditions. Treatments can ease the pain of sciatica, ease carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms, or make eating more comfortable if you have temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ).
Treatments can also be helpful if you have:
- Chronic pain
- Pain in your muscles or joints
- Back pain
- Tendonitis
- Bursitis
- Migraines
- Headaches
- Athletic injuries
- Pelvic pain
- Tennis elbow
- Frozen shoulder
- Fibromyalgia
- Whiplash
- Sprains and strains
Is dry needling painful?
Your physical therapist uses very thin needles for dry therapy treatment. The needles are much thinner than those used for flu shots or other types of injections. You may notice a slight twinge or aching sensation when the needles are inserted but probably won't find the treatment painful.
Relieve your pain with dry needling! Call your physical therapists at Cumberland Physical Therapy and Rehab in Somerset, KY, at (606) 679-2773 to schedule your appointment.