Vestibular rehabilitation

Modern lifestyles, repetitive strain, and past injury can leave muscles locked in tension and protective guarding. Stretching and manual therapy may ease surface tightness, but sometimes a more aggressive therapeutic approach is needed.

Dry needling is a specialized intervention for sensitive tissues that resist conventional therapies. We only employ it after a thorough evaluation confirms appropriate need. It is certainly not for everyone – but if you or your therapist thinks this modality is appropriate for you, let’s talk.

How it Works

Dry needling uses a thin, sterile filament to target “trigger points” – tight, irritable spots within a muscle that can limit movement and often refer pain elsewhere. Inserting the needle creates a brief, involuntary muscle contraction which helps the muscle fibers relax and restores normal blood flow and oxygen to the area. This local reset reduces the chemical buildup that keeps the muscle locked in a painful, contracted state.

Beyond the muscle itself, dry needling influences the nervous system. The needle stimulates sensory pathways that dampen pain signals and prompt the release of natural pain-relieving chemicals. By calming both the muscle and the nerves that control it, dry needling can decrease pain, improve range of motion, and make follow-up rehab exercises more effective.

Dry needling isn’t a stand-alone “cure.” (Nothing is!) It works best alongside movement, strength, and mobility training. For many clients, it provides the jump-start that allows healing and performance gains to take hold.