Dry Needling

By inserting acupuncture-like needles into dysfunctional tissue, Dry Needling influences soft tissues through mechanical & biochemical mechanisms – the effects of dry needling can relax “tight” muscles, alter muscle pain and chronic pain perception and reduce the sensation of fatigue/soreness that dysfunctional muscle tone creates. Additionally, dry needling promotes better nerve communication & triggers the release of natural pain-relieving substances within the body.

 

  • Musculoskeletal pain (neck, back, arms, legs, etc.)
  • Sprains & strains
  • Overuse injuries (i.e. tennis elbow, Achilles’ tendinopathy, etc.)
  • Headaches & migraines
  • Nerve pain (sciatica, carpal tunnel syndrome, etc.)
  • Post-op pain
  • Muscle spasms & cramps
  • Whiplash-related symptoms
 

 

Benefits of Dry Needling

  • Fast Pain Relief: Immediate pain reduction is often experienced after a single session, while multiple sessions may be required to optimally reduce pain.
  • Improved Range of Motion: By releasing tight & painful muscles, dry needling helps restore full range of motion, enhancing mobility & flexibility.
  • Accelerated Recovery: Incorporating dry needling into a physical therapy program promotes faster recovery from injuries or surgical procedures.
  • Enhanced Healing Response: Dry needling stimulates a healing response in the body, promoting tissue repair & regeneration.
  • Muscle Rehabilitation: Dry needling, combined with an exercise program, aids in muscle retraining, preventing future issues.
  • Safe: This is a minimally invasive procedure with a low risk of complications, making it a safe option for pain management.
  • Long-lasting Results: With proper treatment & follow-up care, we suggest that acupuncture, can have a lasting impact on pain reduction & improved function.

What is Dry Needling

Dry Needling is a term used for many therapeutic techniques that use a solid, filiform acupuncture needles to release a motor point in the muscle. In contrast, a ‘wet needle’ is a needle used to inject a substance into the body (i.e. getting a shot at the doctor’s office). Intramuscular Stimulation (IMS), Functional Dry Needling (FDN) & Biodynamic Dry Needling (BDN) are essentially brand names that depict the practitioner’s specific training background. They are based on scientific, neuro-physiological principles & have a common goal of altering dysfunctional muscle tone & improving muscular pain.

In conventional treatments, Dry Needling can help neuropathic & myofascial pain & dysfunction by:

  • producing local twitch responses to change the muscle tone (sometimes called “releasing” the muscle or “trigger point”) to decrease neural sensitivity & improve pain
  • altering electrophysiological output & normalizing motor nerve input to the muscle
  • decreasing biochemical markers associated with dysfunctional muscle tone
  • increasing local inflammatory response and blood flow to promote tissue healing
Contact Us

Have a Question?

Call your clinic or use the form below & we will contact you.

Red Deer Downtown Ph: 403-314-4458

Red Deer Campus Ph: 403-352-7979

Olds Ph: 403-791-2766

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does it hurt? People experience different sensations with needling. Some side effects can include muscle cramping, twitching, or a deep ache sensation within the area (like a “Charlie horse” sensation) or along a referral pattern may be felt. Temporary muscle soreness is also expected post-treatment.needling therapy in Red Deer

How is IMS/FDN/BDN different from Acupuncture? IMS/FDN/BDN treats dysfunctional muscle tone. This often involves the needle going deeper into the muscle belly to elicit a twitch response. Whereas Acupuncture stimulates the body to produce pain-relieving endorphins & is based in theories from the realm of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).

How many treatments are needed? The frequency & duration of treatments vary with each client & condition being treated, ensuring a tailored treatment approach for each individual. For acute treatments, a few sessions may be all that is needed. More complex conditions may need treatment for several weeks. Dry needling is an adjunctive treatment that should be incorporated into a comprehensive treatment plan to have an optimal effect.

What should I do before treatment? It is not recommended to consume alcohol or sedatives prior to treatment.

What should I do after treatment? Regular physical activities should be maintained to decrease the period of post-treatment soreness. Any regular medications should be taken as directed by your physician.

Important Considerations

  • Pregnant women or individuals with bleeding disorders or certain other medical conditions should discuss with their therapist if dry needling is the right option for them.
  • Electro-needling should be avoided by people with a pacemaker or unstable cardiac conditions.
  • Any blood-borne diseases should be disclosed to the practitioner prior to the use of needles.
  • Individuals taking anti-coagulants must have a stable INR test.