Functional Dry Needling at Dirker Chiropractic
Functional dry needling is a therapeutic procedure when a doctor will insert a sterile, thin needle into a trigger point in the muscle to treat pain, movement issues, and other musculoskeletal complaints. Electrical stimulation can be used at the same time to drastically improve the effects of dry needling, by both helping with pain management and muscle contractions.
How It Works
Needles are placed in a trigger point to physically help disrupt the areas of increased muscle tension, helping to improve kinesthetic sense, release tension, decrease pain and muscle banding, optimize muscle function, and increase blood flow, intramuscular healing, cellular pH, and mobility.
What Is A Trigger Point?
A trigger point, or myofascial adhesion, is a tight band in a muscle fiber that can decrease mobility and cause pain at the local spot or refer pain to another area.
Some common conditions treated:
- Neck and back pain
- Headaches
- Plantar fasciitis
- Jaw pain
- Tennis and golfers elbow
- Shoulder pain
- Knee pain
- Hip pain
FAQs
Will it hurt?
Dry needling is very safe and patients typically do not feel much or any pain. Some minimal discomfort can be felt initially when the needle is placed, but that feeling quickly goes away.
How long does the treatment last?
Treatment typically lasts 5-20 minutes, dependent on the condition being treated and its severity.
Will I be sore after treatment?
Some mild soreness is common after treatment but will improve within a day or two.
Can I work out after treatment?
There are typically no limitations with activity after dry needling and physical activity is generally encouraged.
Can I just get dry needling done?
You can certainly just get dry needling done, but it is often used as a tool in addition to
other therapies to improve its effectiveness, such as instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM), exercise rehab, chiropractic adjustments, and cold laser therapy.
How big are the needles?
The needles used are very small, only 0.30 mm, smaller than the diameter of a standard sewing needle
Is dry needling the same as acupuncture?
While both acupuncture and dry needling use needles, functional dry needling is based in western medicine, with anatomical and neurophysiological principles, such as pain, movement deficits, orthopedic tests, and posture, guiding its use. Acupuncture, which is based off of traditional Chinese Medicine focuses on the balancing of energy (chi) in the body. Additionally, needles used in dry needling are inserted deeper into muscle fibers versus acupuncture needles which are inserted more superficial.
Functional Dry Needling Sheboygan, WI | (920) 451-7000
