What is Dry Needling?

Dry needling is a technique for relieving pain originating in your muscles and connective tissues. A dry needle is inserted into knotty areas, known as trigger points. The insertion helps to stimulate muscle relaxation and healing. There is no medicine involved. 

What Does Dry Needling Accomplish?

Dry needling is proving effective in treating the following conditions: 

• Tendinitis
• Repetitive motion disorders (e.g., carpal tunnel syndrome)
• Joint problems
• Disk problems
• Migraine and tension-type headaches
• Jaw and mouth problems, including temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders
• Whiplash
• Spinal problems
• Pelvic pain
• Phantom pain
• Pain following a shingles episode. 

What Should I Expect from Dry Needling?

Dry needling involves the following steps:

• Evaluation: We apply gentle pressure to the skin near and around the injury. Doing so helps us understand which muscles are holding tension so we can precisely target the treatment area. 
• Personalized treatment plan: We tailor treatments based on our evaluation while also considering your comfort and personal preferences. If the pain is too severe for you to receive standard treatments like soft tissue massage, dry needling is one of many special treatments we deliver by hand to help you feel better. 
• Education: Before treatment, we explain how dry needling works and show you where we plan to place the needles. We let you know how many needles we may use and also explain what sensations you can expect to feel.
• What happens during treatment: We slowly insert the needle until we reach the surface of the affected muscle. We then gently advance the needle a little further until we stimulate the trigger point.
• How it will feel: The needles we use are so thin that there’s a chance you may not feel anything during treatment. The sensations you experience may also depend on where we place the needle. 
• Next steps: After treatment, we test your range of motion and muscle strength to determine whether dry needling is working. We also give you an idea of whether additional dry needling sessions may help you. 

What Are the Risks of Dry Needling?

The risks of dry needling are relatively minor. Some bleeding, bruising, and soreness may result from needle insertion. Contact a Baptist Health physical therapy location to see if you're eligible for dry needling.