What are the benefits of dry needling?

Dry needling is a physical therapy technique for treating pain and limited range of motion. This treatment makes use of a dry needle, which is a needle that isn’t filled with medications for an injection. These needles are used to treat pain and tension in the muscles and other soft tissue.

During a dry needling procedure, the physical therapist inserts a sterilized needle into a trigger point. These trigger points are identified by the physical therapist beforehand. Physical therapists are experts in treating conditions that affect the musculoskeletal system, so they are skilled at identifying these trigger points and treating them.

Three benefits of dry needling

Physical therapists have several methods for treating pain, so you may be wondering why you would need dry needling. After all, needles are painful, right? 

Well, when done by a professional, dry needling is actually not a painful procedure. Instead, it reduces pain and offers several other benefits, including: 

1. It reduces tension in the muscles — Muscular tension is when the muscles are caught in a state of contraction. This causes pain and other issues like limited range of motion. Inserting a dry needle into the trigger points that cause this tension helps release the trigger points so your muscles can relax.
2. It helps improve blood flow — When the muscles are more relaxed, it’s easier for blood to flow through. This can help your muscles get the nutrients and oxygen they need to stay healthy and function correctly.
3. It helps improve your range of motion — Reducing tension in the muscles and improving blood flow can help increase your range of motion. If tense muscles are keeping you from using your muscles to their fullest extent, dry needling may be able to help. 

Visit SSOR for dry needling today

Do you suffer from long-lasting or recurring muscle pain that doesn’t seem to go away? Physical therapists offer several different treatments for muscle pain, but dry needling may be just what you need. 

At SSOR, our physical therapists can examine your condition and determine if dry needling is the right treatment for you. Contact our team today for more information about dry needling or to schedule an initial appointment.