What is Dry Needling?
Dry needling is the insertion of a solid needle through the skin down into muscle. The needle differs from an injection as it is not hollow, so no substance (other than the needle itself) can be inserted into the body. Dry needling uses the same needles as Acupuncture and the same technique to tap them into your body. It differs from Acupuncture as the reasons they are used for and the effects they aim to achieve are different. Acupuncture uses an ancient Eastern technique of stimulating different points on the body to ease pain and treat various health conditions. It is often used in conjunction with herbal remedies in Chinese medicine. Dry needling is a bio-mechanical technique that is used by musculo-skeletal specialists to break down and heal trigger points (knots) in muscles.
Everyone in the practice (with the exception of Mike) is qualified to dry-needle, so next time you have an appointment and are interested to see if this would benefit you, talk to your Chiropractor/Myotherapist or Massage Therapist about your options.