25 Jun Want to Get Better, Faster? Try Dry Needling!
We get it, dry needling can sound scary – especially if you’re not a fan of needles. But what is dry needling, what does dry needling work for, and how can it help? Those answers make it a lot scary and a lot more intriguing…especially if you’re dealing with irritating pain, discomfort, or certain conditions.
What is Dry Needling?
Let’s start with what it’s not. Dry needling is not the same as acupuncture. Although both use tiny, slender needles, acupuncture is an ancient Chinese art which attempts to balance energy within the body.
Dry needling specifically targets an area experiencing pain, which is typically related to another condition. The small needles are inserted by a medical professional into “trigger points” in the muscle that needs improvement.
What Conditions Does Dry Needling Treat?
Dry needling is versatile and can treat a variety of conditions. Dry needling can treat pain, irritation, and inflammation in conditions like:
Shin splints (lower leg compartment muscular problems)
Sciatica
Piriformis syndrome
Patellar tendonitis
Tennis elbow
Golf elbow
Rotator cuff injury
Muscle tears
Hamstring issues
Carpal tunnel
Back issues
…and more!
How Can Dry Needling Help?
Dry needling seems to work by improving the way the brain and body communicate and allow normal function to return. For areas that are inflamed and tense, it seems strange that adding a needle (or two) could help – but it certainly can. Patients may feel sensations like tingling or muscle cramping during treatment, and may be sore after the treatment; however most often report improvement following treatment.
Dry needling is most effective when combined with active physical therapy treatment. Body One has been using dry needling successfully in our practice for years. Our providers are both trained and highly-knowledgeable in the best way to use dry needling, in addition to physical therapy, to help achieve the best results for our clients.
Curious to see how dry needling could help your issues? Give us a call! Body One Physical Therapy is locally-owned and operated, with three locations serving Central Indiana: North Indianapolis, Fishers, and Zionsville. Our team of caring, expert physical therapists is ready to help you get back to the live you deserve. We work with clients of all ages and activity levels and we’d love to help you, too. Don’t accept pain and movement/mobility problems as your lot in life: call Body One today!
Resources:
1. Kinetacore: https://www.kinetacore.com/faq/#conditions
2. Cleveland Clinic: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/16542-dry-needling
