Trigger Point Dry Needling
Dry needling is the advancement of solid filament acupuncture needles into muscles in the area of 'trigger points'. The needles used are extremely thin and most patients do not even feel them enter the skin. Likewise, healthy muscle tissue will feel little discomfort on insertion of the needle.
However, if the muscle is reactive, e.g. if it has active trigger points, other reactions or sensations may be elicited, such as the 'twitch response', which is an involuntary spinal cord reflex in which the muscle fibres in the taut band contract. This deactivates the trigger point, and may activate local painkilling chemicals and decrease inflammation as well.
Dry needling is an extremely effective therapy for many types of myofascial pain,and by effectively targeting the body's own mechanisms of pain relief and tissue repair has the ability to promote biochemical and chemical changes in the muscles without the use of drugs.
However, if the muscle is reactive, e.g. if it has active trigger points, other reactions or sensations may be elicited, such as the 'twitch response', which is an involuntary spinal cord reflex in which the muscle fibres in the taut band contract. This deactivates the trigger point, and may activate local painkilling chemicals and decrease inflammation as well.
Dry needling is an extremely effective therapy for many types of myofascial pain,and by effectively targeting the body's own mechanisms of pain relief and tissue repair has the ability to promote biochemical and chemical changes in the muscles without the use of drugs.
