Discomfort is an universally-shared experience, regardless of time, area or culture. In Canada alone, about one in 4 adults experiences persistent pain at any particular time, and in most cases, it can be challenging to discover a treatment for clients to enjoy relief. While there are many treatments readily available for various kinds of pain, there aren’t any single services that benefit everybody.
Lessening discomfort is not always as simple as prescribing a pain-killer or NSAID drug. In reality, many clients can not have these kinds of medications because of risk factors such as surgery, age or pre-existing conditions such as high blood pressure.
That’s the reason pain management specialists across the nation are relying on integrative medical treatment to supplement conventional care and help patients manage their pain. One such new medical treatment gaining acceptance among healthcare specialists is referred to as “dry needling”.
Dry needling is an alternative therapy for pain management performed by a physiotherapist. It is often practiced in combination with other treatment options like massage, heat or ice treatment, and exercise.
This treatment method has been gaining in popularity in discomfort management and physiotherapy practices throughout the country due to its simplicity of use, efficacy, and inexpensiveness.
In this article, you will learn precisely what dry needling is, who might profit from it and how it works to diminish or eliminate pain.
What Is Dry Needling?
Dry needling, or intramuscular stimulation (IMS), is a type of treatment that applies fine needles that are placed into specific connective tissues or muscles to stimulate the body’s healing reaction.
While acupuncture works with a combination of tiny needles placed around the whole body, dry needling is done using a single filament at one specific location. Dry needling is believed to ease discomfort by energizing the nerves and resolving misplacements in joint, muscle and connective tissue.
Dry needling is frequently utilized as a treatment method for muscle convulsions, trigger points and tightness. Overworked or injured muscle tissues are in some cases too weak to efficiently stretch out and return, which can result in discomfort.
If a person has pain in their shoulder, for example, dry needling may be employed to help release the pectoralis minor muscle, which is frequently related to shoulder pain.
How Does Dry Needling Work?
Dry needling is thought to work by communicating with the nerve system and activating the body’s normal pain reduction process. Once a needle is inserted into a painful connective tissue or muscle, it’s believed that the body releases a natural chemical called serotonin.
Serotonin is an organically occurring compound in the body that’s associated with managing mood, sleep and food digestion, among other bodily functions. When serotonin is dispensed by the body, it travels into the bloodstream and binds to receptors all through the body, especially the central nerve system.
As soon as these receptors are stimulated, the body experiences a reduction in pain and anxiety, along with an increase in feelings of peace and relaxation.
Other studies have revealed that dry needling can promote the release of endorphins, which are another kind of neurotransmitter that can help in reducing discomfort and enhance mood.
Benefits of Dry Needling
Dry needling has lots of benefits for patients struggling with long term or severe pain. It can be used as a component of a pain management program in conjunction with other treatment options like exercise or massage.
It’s frequently employed for alleviating musculoskeletal discomfort associated with the shoulders, back, knees and other joints, together with sports injuries. Dry needling is in some cases applied instead of pain-killer drugs and other injection treatments because of its lower risk of adverse side effects and complications.
Dry needling has likewise been shown effective at diminishing long term discomfort and enhancing function in people with knee and back pain, in addition to fibromyalgia symptoms.
Who Can Benefit From Dry Needling?
Dry needling may be employed to alleviate a variety of musculoskeletal conditions, including low back discomfort, neck pain, joint pain, shoulder discomfort and chronic pain related to recurring strain injuries, such as carpel tunnel syndrome or computer-related injuries.
Dry needling has likewise been employed to relieve fibromyalgia, a condition identified by persistent muscle pain and fatigue.
Dry needling is often employed in combination with other treatments, like medication and physiotherapy, to deal with fibromyalgia. Even people that aren’t recovering from a particular personal injury or surgery can enjoy the benefits of dry needling.
Is Dry Needling Safe?
Dry needling is generally considered a safe treatment when carried out by a trained expert. It is often times integrated with other therapies such as active stretching or massage to boost the effect of the needling. There are some rare drawbacks related to dry needling, consisting of bruising, bleeding, skin inflammation or infections.
Dry needling can also induce a minor negative response in some people, especially those who are hypersensitive to the adhesive used to hold the needles in place.
It is very important to remember that dry needling is distinct from acupuncture, which is often utilized to relieve pain and is frequently considered a secondary therapy. While dry needling is applied to address discomfort, acupuncture is utilized to deal with a number of disorders, including chronic pain and anxiety.
How to Identify a Physiotherapy Centre Offering Dry Needling
If you’re suffering from long term discomfort or severe injury discomfort, talk with your medical professional about whether or not dry needling could be an alternative for you. Lots of discomfort management centres and physiotherapy centres supply dry needling as a treatment solution for persistent pain, particularly knee and back pain.
If you have an interest in dry needling, ask your local area physio therapist about what techniques are utilized. Make certain the physiotherapist is certified and uses sterilized needles that are disposed of after one usage. It is also essential to keep in mind that you ought to avoid dry needling if you suffer from a blood clot disorder, if you’re pregnant, or if you use a heart pacemaker.
Wrapping Up
Dry needling is a well-liked pain management procedure that’s often utilized to deal with low back discomfort, neck discomfort, knee pain, shoulder discomfort and persistent pain connected with repeated pressure injuries.
Dry needling has likewise been utilized to relieve fibromyalgia, an ailment characterized by long term muscle discomfort and fatigue. Dry needling may be made use of as one component of a discomfort management plan in combination with other treatments like massage or exercise.
If you’re suffering from chronic pain, talk with your physio therapist about whether or not dry needling could be a solution for you. Lots of people discover that regular dry needling procedures help to lessen their pain, or perhaps eliminate it entirely.
Try dry needling in Thunder Bay to experience increased range of motion, lowered discomfort and a greater quality of life.
Give Fanti + Associates Physiotherapists a call soon and we can start relieving your discomfort and improving your quality of life. Now booking new clients!