Dry Needling explained by a Physical Therapist

Dry needling is a hot topic in the PT field these days. It has become a part of the practice of many PT’s in the country. Most people do not know what it is or how it is used. And most people think it is the same as acupuncture. These 2 forms of treatment are not the same thing. I am here to describe what Dry needling is and how it can help you. 

Dry needling goes by other terms including intramuscular manual therapy. It is called Dry needling because there is no medication or wet material being inserted into body. 

Dry needling is the insertion of a small filament needle at the site of a trigger point of a muscle. A trigger point is a tight spot in the muscle that presents as a tender area of the muscle (think knot in your muscle).

Trigger points can be either latent or active.

  • Latent is a trigger point that is only tender when touched
  • Active is a trigger point that produces referred pain to another site of the body and is painful all the time.

Acupuncture is the penetration of the skin at certain points along the line of the body’s meridian. It has been used in Chinese medicine as a way to balance a person’ s Qi (chi) or flow of energy. https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/acupuncture/about/pac-20392763

The most important difference and what I try to explain to my patients is acupuncture does not reach the muscle whereas Dry needling does.

How did Dry needling start?

  • In the mid 1900’s a Doctor was trying to find out what medication would improve patient’s pain when injected into the trigger point. He found that no matter what injectable he was using (medication, saline, or no medication) the patient’s pain was reduced. Leading him to the conclusion that you do not need medication to improve a person’s pain. 

What benefits are there to dry needling?

  • Decreased pain
  • Improves muscle flexibility
  • Improves range of motion

What will you feel during the session?

  • I always explain to my patients that once the needle is inserted into the trigger point they should feel a twitch of the muscle. In this instance the muscle has grabbed on to the needle. The muscle twitches so much that it will then tire and relax, reducing the tightness of the muscle. 
  • You should not feel much of the needle entering or exiting the body, only the muscle twitching, if it is being performed correctly. 
  • I will also warn you this twitching sensation is not a comfortable feeling and It is not the most painful thing you will ever feel either. In my opinion, it may be worth a little discomfort to decrease the overall pain that you are having.

What side effects are there to Dry needling?

  • Muscle soreness
  • Bruising
  • Fatigue
  • Light headedness

The most common side effect is the muscle soreness and I have never had a patient I performed the needling on who complained of increased fatigue or light headedness.

What should you do following a Dry needling session?

  • Increase your water intake to decrease the amount of soreness to the area
  • Apply heat in the form of a heating pad or bath/shower also as a way to decrease soreness
  • Massage the area

Patients also ask if they can go about their normal day following a session and the answer is yes! You can go to work, exercise, and even take pain medications if needed. You should only not perform your normal daily tasks if anything makes the pain worse or having difficulty breathing.  In these cases, contact your PT immediately.

If administered properly, Dry needling is a great tool used by PT’s to help patients decrease pain and improve quality of life.