Dry Needling
For when you need a stronger touch.
Dry needling is a highly-specialized and highly-skilled intervention that can be effective for a wide variety of musculoskeletal concerns. Want to learn more or discuss if dry needling would be helpful for you? Send us a message!
What is dry needling?
Dry needling is a specialized treatment option where a tiny monofilament needle is inserted into a taut band of muscle (“trigger point”) to help immediately reduce local and referred pain and ease resting muscle tension. This can help restore pain-free range of motion and make follow-up rehab exercises more effective and comfortable.
Like any manual therapy, dry needling is not a stand-alone “cure”. It works best alongside movement, strength, and mobility. For many clients, it provides the jump-start that allows healing and recovery to take-hold.
THE SCIENCE
There are several proposed theories with evidence behind them for what is actually happening physiologically:
What is a trigger point?
Trigger points may develop from repetitive, low-level muscle activity, overuse, or potentially even sustained postures (due to the demand on the involved muscles).
Trigger points are thought to involve excessive activity at the motor end plate, which is where nerves communicate with muscle fibers. Excessive acetylcholine (AcH) is released while acetylcholinesterase (which helps clear AcH) is inhibited. This results in a continued release of calcium (which is the trigger for muscle contractions) in the muscle. This results in a sustained muscle contraction. Sustained muscle contractions can lead to reduced or depleted blood flow (ischemia) and oxygenation (hypoxia) to the area, creating an acidic state. This then stimulates the release of pain-related chemicals (substance P, CGRP, prostaglandins) and inflammatory mediators. Over time, this can result in both localized tenderness and increased sensitivity within the nervous system due to the prolonged nociceptive input. [1]
What does the needle actually do?
Mechanical Effects
The mechanical insertion of the needle can help to stimulate a healing response, which can increase blood flow, oxygen, and nutrients in the area. [2]
Electrical Effects
Muscles run on electrical impulses. A trigger point is an area where a muscle is constantly firing at a low, sustained level. The needle can disrupt this by causing a localized “twitch response” (a full muscle contraction), which resets the muscle to a resting state. [3]
Biochemical Effects
The twitch response and the mechanical disruption from the needle can help by normalizing the chemical environment of the trigger point region. Pain and inflammatory chemicals can clear out, and helpful metabolites, blood flow, and oxygen can return to normal levels. [3]
Nervous System Effects
The needle can stimulate the autonomic nervous system, resulting in an immediate reduction in hyperalgesia following the intervention. Needling has been shown to increase muscle inhibition to help normalize resting muscle tone. [4,5]
Dry needling is supported by a strong and growing body of evidence showing it can reduce pain and improve muscle function in conditions like: myofascial pain, chronic pain syndromes, headaches (tension-type, cervicogenic), plantar fasciitis, tendinopathies, and more!
When performed by properly trained clinicians, it is considered very safe. The most common side effects include: brief muscle / needle-site soreness (similar to what you feel after working out), a pin-prick of blood, and mild bruising at the insertion-site.
Grounded in research.
delivered safely.
PRICING
First Visit
$175
Initial evaluation, safety screening, and first dry needling treatment.
TREATMENT
$75
Dry needling treatment sessions allow for up to two body areas.
Ready to get started?
No commitment required.