24 Sep Why You Should Consider Dry Needling

If you’ve never heard of dry needling, or if you’re a little leery, we’ll explain what it is, what it can do, and why you just might want to give it a try. Even the most needle-phobic might be surprised to see how dry needling can benefit their physical therapy treatment!

What it Is:

Dry needling may seem similar to accupuncture, but it isn’t the same. In dry needling, the trained practitioner (in our case, your Body One physical therapist), will insert an ultrafine needle into the specific area s/he identifies as beneficial based on your symptoms and assessment. (Acupuncturists follow a map of ‘energy’ within the body.)

How it Works:

Dry needling acts best on areas of tightness and inflammation, often triggering a response and relaxation of those areas. Dry needling often focuses on trigger points or specific areas of pain/tension. Current thought is that dry needling helps improve the way the brain/body communicates and restores normal function.

Specific Conditions Dry Needling Helps:

Dry needling can be a great addition to your physical therapy for many different issues. You may inquire about dry needling for back pain, carpal tunnel, piriformis syndrome, golf elbow, tennis elbow, hamstring issues, muscle tears, ankle pain, shoulder problems, and more! Dry needling works best when added to regular physical therapy.

What to Expect:

Your PT will identify the area, and explain the process. Using gloves, s/he will clean the area with sterile wipes, before inserting the ultrafine one-use sterile needle. For those afraid of needles, if you don’t watch, you might not even feel it! Occasionally, you may experience some mild cramping (especially if the area is very irritated), and you may be sore afterwards. Within hours to days, you will likely see improvement in how you move and feel.

If you’d like more information or if you’re ready to try this often-beneficial addition to your treatment, talk to Body One today. We’re locally-owned and operated, with three locations serving Central Indiana: North Indianapolis, Fishers, and Zionsville. Don’t let stubborn pain and irritation leave you hopeless, dry needling is just one of the tools in our toolkit. Give Body One a call and see how we can help get you feeling better!