Service Spotlight: Four Amazing Benefits of Dry Needling
Putting needles into the skin isn't the first thing that comes to mind when pain, tightness, or movement dysfunction presents itself. Ironically, an extremely thin metal filiform needle can serve as an effective solution for acute and even chronic neuromuscular conditions. When performed by a trained, certified professional, dry needling is an excellent tool (and one of the only) that directly affects the soft tissues. When coupled with other research-supported manual techniques and corrective exercises, the body can function at its best.
A thin metal filiform needle is used to penetrate the skin
I'm sure you're still wondering, what exactly does dry needling help? And how? Let's dive deeper and answer those pondering questions.
Four Amazing Benefits of Dry Needling
Relieves Pain
Needling allows us to address those stubborn "knots" that are uncomfortable and painful, changing how you move and go about your day. These knots are popularly called "trigger points," another way to describe the build-up of irritable, sensitive tissue. To protect themselves, our bodies excessively contract our tissues to prevent further stress, but unfortunately this is counterproductive as it leads to poor oxygenation and chemical imbalance — experienced as pain! Luckily, thoughtful dry needling is the most effective way to directly correct the issue by dissolving the hyper-contracted tissue and normalizing oxygenation and chemical balance.
Improves Blood Flow
All of these benefits work off of one another. Due to hyper-contracted tissue, the muscles and other related soft tissues experience a significant lack of blood flow or local ischemia. This must be addressed to allow for proper healing. As previously mentioned, the taut, irritable tissue is directly affected by the presence of the dry needle. During this process the local blood vessels dilate to restore blood flow, oxygenation, and nutrition to enhance healing.
Electrotherapy is used to enhance dry needling effects
Improves Joint Mobility and Muscle Length
Everyone has tried to stretch out their stiff neck or back only to achieve temporary relief, or worse, further exacerbate the area. When our muscles are tight and angry the joints to which they attach, cross, and stabilize become compressed, lacking full mobility. Before stretching techniques, it is extremely effective to dry needle such areas to decrease muscle tone and normalize muscle length and joint flexibility. Once the source is addressed and balance is achieved, stretching and mobility routines are used to maintain and further improve joint and muscle health.
Enhances Nervous System Regulation
One of the lesser highlighted benefits of dry needling is its profound effect on the nervous system. Our Autonomic Nervous System plays a critical role in maintaining homeostasis through the regulation of our heart rate, blood pressure, hormones, circadian rhythm, and more. Chronic dysfunction of the ANS is all too common and can be related to chronic fatigue, stress, and autoimmune disorders. This is usually caused by sympathetic overdrive. Thoughtful dry needling has been found to address such imbalance by elevating parasympathetic and decreasing sympathetic activity, which is vital in re-establishing homeostasis (balance) across various systems of the body.
Here at Restorative PT & Wellness, we take advantage of dry needling and its benefits to accelerate your recovery. If you have any further questions regarding dry needling or physical therapy, don't hesitate to call and ask. Also, be sure to schedule your free initial consultation to get started with your journey to wellness today!