When you picture someone lying on a table with needles in their skin, the term that probably comes to your mind is “acupuncture.” Acupuncture isn’t the only form healing art to use needles though. Needles can also be used as part of a physical therapy treatment to help reduce pain. This is known as dry needling.

Dry needling is a legitimate medical treatment supported by research. Unlike acupuncture, which aims to restore your body’s energy flow, dry needling focuses on reducing pain in the muscles and restoring movement to stiff and impaired parts of the body.

Dry needling can be a valuable part of most physical therapy treatments since it targets the muscles and trigger points in the muscles that may limit mobility.

How does dry needling work?

As the name suggests, dry needling involves the use of needles without any liquids injected into your system. The needles are thin and sterile and are approved for use in medical fashion.

The needles are inserted into the trigger points in muscles or soft tissue that do not respond well to hands-on therapy and other forms of treatments. These can include knots and stiff muscles. That’s why dry needling is great for many types of patients, including:

• Athletes
• People with muscle pain
• Fibromyalgia patients and more

Why choose dry needling?

Many patients are choosing dry needling because it helps reduce pain and restore mobility with little-to-no side-effects. There is a small amount of discomfort that you may experience from the needle. Afterward, there may be some light bruising or a little bleeding.

It’s important to visit a healthcare professional for dry needling because side-effects can be much worse if dry needling is attempted outside of a clinical environment. Dirty needles or unsterile conditions can lead to serious health issues. If you want to try dry needling to treat your pain, make sure you visit a healthcare professional.

Schedule a dry needling appointment at Franklin Rehabilitation

Are you suffering from pain or loss of mobility? Talk with the team at Franklin Rehabilitation to discover the benefits of dry needling and find out if dry needling is right for you. Contact us today to schedule your appointment.