If you have pain in your back, hips, shoulders, or any other part of your body, you may have developed a trigger point: a small area of muscle that’s knotted up. Unfortunately, the pain isn’t limited to the trigger point itself; depending on its location, it can radiate throughout your body.
Doing an online search for “best physical therapists near me” can give you a list of physical therapists who may be able to use a technique called dry needling to eliminate the trigger point and relieve your pain.
When To Use Dry Needling
Dry needling should be used as part of a comprehensive treatment plan for your pain. Other parts of that plan may include massage, exercise, stretching, heat or cold therapy, and patient education.
Dry needling is known to treat a number of painful conditions, including
- Joint and disc pain
- Tendinitis
- Migraine and tension headaches
- Repetitive motion injuries
- Pelvic pain
- Spinal problems
- Phantom pain (pain that doesn’t seem to have an obvious source)
If you’re experiencing any of these ailments, don’t hesitate to reach out to your doctor to ask about dry needling near Oklahoma City. It can be performed by some doctors, physical therapists, chiropractors, and acupuncturists.
How It Can Help You Effectively
When the slim needles are inserted into your trigger point, a few things happen. First, the muscle relaxes. Blood flow is increased to the area, where it had been restricted by the muscle knot. Inflammation and swelling go down. A healing reaction is triggered between your brain and the muscle, and endorphins — your body’s natural pain relievers — are released.
There are four major benefits of dry needling. The first is that it reduces pain. Of course, when the needles are inserted, there may be a pinching feeling or some discomfort. Muscle aches, soreness, and twitching are all good signs when the needles are placed. However, those aches and soreness will fade and the muscle will relax, relieving the pain you were experiencing in the first place.
The second benefit you get from dry needling is that you’ll regain your range of motion if it had been limited by the formation of the muscle knot. If you have more than one trigger point, your range of motion may be more limited. The more you don’t use your muscles, the more your range of motion will suffer, and the more trigger points will form.
The third benefit you experience when you are dry-needled is an accelerated recovery time. If you were injured or had surgery, keeping your body moving is required to promote healing. When trigger points develop, though, they can prevent you from moving as much as you should. Physical therapy is often prescribed, and dry needling can be an important component of that therapy.
The fourth benefit of dry needling is easing pain from chronic conditions such as fibromyalgia and myofascial pain syndrome. Fibromyalgia causes pain and soreness in your muscles, which impacts the way you move your body. Myofascial pain syndrome is caused by trigger points forming in the fascia, which surrounds your muscles.
If you go to physical therapy in Newcastle, Oklahoma, ask your therapist about dry needling, and whether it would be helpful in rehabbing your injury. It’s a valuable tool to have in your arsenal to fight pain.
