7 common benefits of dry needling for trigger points

Dry needling is a technique that trained health care providers, like physical therapists, use to treat pain and improve movement. It involves a certified practitioner manually inserting thin, sterile needles into specific points in the muscles, known as trigger points.

Trigger points are small, tight knots or bands of muscle that can cause pain, stiffness and limited range of motion.

Trigger points can develop due to the following:

• Repetitive movements
• Heavy lifting
• Injury
• Poor posture
• Muscle tension
• Chronic stress
• Lack of exercise

When you press on a trigger point, it can feel tender or painful, and it may radiate to other parts of your body. The longer trigger points are activated, the more pain signals the nerves send, which prolongs the length and amount of pain you experience. 

While both approaches involve needles, dry needling isn’t the same as acupuncture. Acupuncture is based on traditional Chinese medicine and targets energy points, while dry needling is more focused on treating musculoskeletal pain. The name comes from the actual needles that are used during the technique. These needles are used without liquids or medications being injected into your body. 

What are the benefits of dry needling for trigger points?

Dry needling for trigger points offers a variety of benefits, including:

• Pain relief — By addressing trigger points, a common source of musculoskeletal pain, dry needling can provide targeted relief.

• Improved mobility

• Increases flexibility — Dry needling can help loosen tight muscles and improve flexibility, allowing for easier movement.

• Enhances athletic performance — For athletes, improved mobility can lead to better performance and reduced risk of injury.

• Improves range of motion — By addressing muscle restrictions, dry needling can increase flexibility and improve range of motion.

• Faster recovery
   
• Accelerates healing — Dry needling can stimulate blood flow to the injured area, which can promote healing and reduce recovery time.

• Reduces inflammation — By addressing trigger points, dry needling can help reduce inflammation. While some inflammation can be beneficial during the healing process, it can also be associated with pain, and too much can delay healing.

• Decreased muscle tension

• Releases muscle knots — Dry needling directly targets and releases tight muscle knots, reducing your overall muscle tension and discomfort.

• Improves posture — By helping address muscle imbalances, dry needling can help improve your posture and reduce strain on your body.

• Better sleep
   
• Relieves pain — Reduced pain can lead to improved sleep quality. Discomfort can cause sleep disruptions, which keeps you from getting essential sleep for healing.

• Reduces stress — Dry needling can help reduce stress and anxiety, which can also contribute to better sleep.

• Enhanced quality of life

• Increases activity levels — Reduced pain and improved mobility can allow you to participate in more activities you enjoy.

• Boosts mood — By addressing pain and improving your overall well-being, dry needling can contribute to you having a more positive mood.

• Complementary to other therapies — Dry needling can be used in conjunction with other physical therapy treatments, like manual therapy or therapeutic exercises, to help you achieve optimal results. 

What happens during a trigger point dry needling session?

During a dry needling session, your physical therapist will do a thorough assessment of your pain and discomfort before starting the procedure. The actual dry needling procedure may then follow these steps:

• Preparation — Your physical therapist will sterilize the treatment area and prepare single-use, sterile needles. They may use one or two needles during your first session; however, further treatments may involve more needles, depending on your condition.

• Identification — Using their fingers, your physical therapist will then palpate the affected area to locate the trigger points.

• Insertion — Once the trigger points have been detected, they’ll use the needle, which is surrounded by a plastic guide tube, and manually insert it into the top layer of your skin. The plastic guide tube helps ensure accurate placement of the needle. The placement of the needle can be superficial in the subcutaneous tissue above the trigger point or deeply inserted directly into the muscle.

• Manipulation — The needle may be left in place for a short period of time or moved using the pistoning technique, which is an in-and-out motion. 

During your session, you may experience temporary muscle soreness or twitching. These are normal signs that your muscles are responding to the dry needling treatment. Potential side effects of dry needling can include:

• Stiffness
• Bruising
• Fainting
• Fatigue
• Infection

Conditions that can benefit from trigger point dry needling

Dry needling is a safe technique that can benefit a variety of conditions and concerns, including, but not limited to:

• Shoulder pain
• Rotator cuff pain
• Tendinitis
• Iliotibial band syndrome
• Back pain
• Whiplash
• Neck pain
• Headaches or migraines
• Hip pain
• Pelvic pain
• Temporomandibular joint pain
• Osteoarthritis
• Fibromyalgia
• Myofascial pain syndrome

However, individuals who shouldn’t get trigger point dry needling include, but aren’t limited to, those who have the following conditions:

• A fear of needles
• History of abnormal reactions to needling or injections
• A medical emergency
• An inability or unwillingness to consent
• A limb or area with lymphedema
• Abnormal bleeding tendencies
• Vascular disease
• A severely immunocompromised system
• Diabetes
• Current pregnancy

Dry needling is a safe and effective treatment. It can help reduce pain, improve movement and make you feel better overall, but isn’t suited for everyone. Make sure you discuss the risks and benefits of the treatment with your health care provider, and they can determine if it’s a treatment best suited to help meet your needs. 

Your path to pain relief can include trigger point dry needling at REPAIR SI

At REPAIR SI, we understand that chronic pain can significantly impact your daily life. Our trigger point dry needling approach is designed to provide you with personalized relief and help you regain your mobility. Our experienced and certified physical therapists will carefully assess your condition and develop a tailored treatment plan that will address your specific needs. If you’re struggling with pain, we encourage you to consider choosing us to help you work toward a more comfortable and active lifestyle.

Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.