What is dry needling?
Dry needling is a treatment using thin acupuncture needles in physical therapy to relieve pain. Dry needling is used for the treatment of myofascial (muscular) pain, neurological pain, tendonitis, and trigger points. Dry needling targets the trigger points, which is the direct and palpable source of patient pain, rather than the traditional "meridians", accessed via acupuncture.
Dry needling helps to accelerate healing by allowing for increased circulation to the injured area, improved oxygen delivery, and stimulation of the neural pathways that can block pain messages as they travel from your central nervous system to your muscles. When combined with the appropriate strengthening or stabilization exercises and biomechanical assessment, dry needling can help to alleviate both chronic and acute muscular disorders.