Dry needling is an alternative treatment option that eases a patient's muscular pain and/or muscular stiffness, which hinders movement. Dry needling is also known as intramuscular stimulation. Some of the more common reasons why someone may be suffering from muscular pain and/or stiffness include being in a car accident, experiencing a sports-related injury and having a health issue that directly affects one's muscles.
What is dry needling?
While dry needling is similar to acupuncture, they are two completely different treatment options. The reason why a health professional chooses dry needling is that it is specifically for reducing pain and reducing any soft tissue inflammation. Dry needling can also help to release any tension in the muscles that can cause varying degrees of pain.
The general goal of acupuncture is to redirect and reposition the flow of the body’s energy for better overall health. Patients who use acupuncture to treat their muscle pain are now looking into their dry needling treatment options instead.
Dr. Jean Luke Smith at Cajun Chiropractic in Youngsville, LA, offers dry needling and other effective methods for treating chronic and debilitating musculoskeletal pain.
Benefits of Dry Needling
Dry needling, like acupuncture, uses very small needles to address troubled areas of the body. However, whereas acupuncture is used to treat everything from pain to medical conditions, dry needling focuses on musculoskeletal pain. Dr. Smith and the team at Cajun Chiropractic in Youngsville, LA, share a few benefits of adding dry needling to your treatment plan below.
It Breaks Up Trigger Points
Trigger points are basically knots along the muscles and fascia. Sometimes, you don’t notice they are there, as they are in deeper tissue layers. Other times, you can feel them if you barely move in a specific direction. For example, if you have a trigger point in the side of your neck, you might notice a sharp pain or extreme tenderness when you lay your head over to one side.
Whether you notice it or not, though, trigger points cause trouble. They limit your range of motion, create pain in areas you can’t easily reach, interfere with your body’s natural healing, and more. Dry needling can release these trigger points, leaving you feeling and moving much better.
It Pulls Blood to the Treatment Area
Though the needles are small, they are injected into the tissues. This is a form of trauma that causes the body to respond by sending blood and healing nutrients to the site. The blood and nutrients go to work repairing the injury, which speeds up your recovery.
It Effectively Treats Some Difficult Conditions
Some musculoskeletal issues can take a while to heal from – even when other techniques are used. And while you’re healing, you’re still dealing with pain and other symptoms that can have a negative impact on your life.
Thanks to how dry needling reaches down into the tissues and enhances recovery, it is very helpful in treating conditions like whiplash or other forms of neck pain, shoulder pain, rotator cuff injuries, hip pain, TMJ, muscle strains, tennis elbow, Achilles tendonitis, lower back pain, headaches, iliotibial band syndrome, plantar fasciitis, and more.
It Can Prevent Injuries
When muscle tension and trigger points go untreated, they can put a lot of stress on the skeletal system. They also cause weakness, stiffness, strains, and more. Dry needling can help prevent such injuries from occurring.
Call (337) 210-3399 to schedule a dry needling appointment with Dr. Smith at Cajun Chiropractic in Youngsville, LA.