Dry Needling Columbus Ohio
Dry needling is a relatively “new” therapy that can help reduce pain, adhesions, spasms, cramps, and trigger points in muscles. In doing so, it can also decrease acidity in the muscle and affect surrounding or associated facia. It is especially effective for reducing tension along a whole muscle, sling, or fascial chain of muscle. “New” is in quotations because dry needling is rooted in ancient Chinese medicine that has been around since the early 1900s but has just recently gained popularity in the US.
Dry needling vs Acupuncture
People confuse dry needling with acupuncture because both use similar filiform needles, but the two are actually very different in their premises:
- Dry Needling is a therapy tool that focuses on releasing trigger points or knots within the muscles and fascia. Dry needling therapy can be proven through scientific techniques.
- Acupuncture works primarily by moving “chi” or energy through the body along meridians to remove “stagnation,” allowing the resolve any number of physical or emotion distressors.
Dry Needling and Wellness Practitioners
If you're experiencing muscular issues, having frequent muscle spasms, or notice a reduced range of motion, Active Edge can help in several ways, including the use of Dry Needling. Our practitioners specialize in whole-body wellness to give you a customized treatment plan. That may be one option like dry needling or multiple options like massage, physical therapy and others for treating your pain using different techniques. We're here to help you live your best life!
Trigger points are caused by dysfunction in muscles.
Trigger points, spasms, and cramps are primary symptoms dry needling treats and dysfunction in your muscles can cause these to happen. That dysfunction may be due to trauma, repetitive use, or lack of use for that matter. Trigger points in muscles are known to create pain. Sometimes that pain is right where the trigger point is or sometimes the pain is referred to another area of the body. Trigger points may be painful only to touch or without, every person and situation is different. And even then, just because you don’t feel them while going about your normal day doesn’t mean that they aren’t a problem.
In clinical practice, trigger points are frequently found that patients don’t realize are there, and those are often the most important ones to release.
Effects of Trigger Points on the Body
Trigger points are known areas of low oxygen, low nutrients reception, and low Ph which means they are areas of low healing.
- Acidity creates a more diseased state, or disease susceptible state in the body.
- Lack of oxygen and ability to bring in nutrients makes healing less likely and degeneration more likely.
This is why trigger points can be so persistent and continue to return even when you utilize dry needling therapies or massage to increase blood flow and nutrients to the area.
The other main contributor to recurring trigger points is poor movement patterns and fascial communication.
As we stated above, both massage and dry needling can both be effective techniques to restore your muscles. We use active soft tissue release in practice daily with great results.
The application and choice of technique depend on a variety of factors including:
- location
- intensity
- persistence
- time
- patient tolerance
- patient preference
When to use Dry Needling vs Massage
Consider for analogy purposes, your muscle are a bundle of rope.
If there is a knot in on the outside of the bundle, it’s easy enough to remove with your hands. That would be an example of massage or soft tissue work.
But what if that knot is in the middle of that bundle? Wouldn’t it be easier to use a tool to help get those knots out? It sure would be and it would be less time consuming.
So, when there are multiple knots throughout your skin and muscles, using multiple techniques and different tools can help you get your muscles back to full length, stretch, tension, and function much faster. That is why dry needling can be a much better option than traditional massage or physical therapy.
What is the Dry Needling Process
Dry needling therapy allows for reduction of deeper trigger points and more trigger points simultaneously. As the needles prompt your body to calm the trigger points, they are stimulating your muscle tone, stretch, and function improve. By addressing multiple trigger points along a single muscle or chain of muscles, you can reduce trigger points, but also, improve fascial communication, movement pattering, and ease of movement.
To be clear, there is no movement happening while the needles are in. Moving a muscle that has a needle in it can bend the needle which makes it both uncomfortable and difficult to remove. Once the needles are in, you’ll lay still for 10-40 minutes depending on your provider, the area being needled, how quickly the trigger point is responding and if electric muscle stimulation is being utilized. Movement changes are something you’ll notice once the needles are removed and your body gets the opportunity to try out its new range of motion.
Dry Needling Treatment Areas
As stated above, finding where to the places where needles is through the experience of our dry needling practitioners at Active Edge. Generally speaking, any muscle can be treated with dry needling therapy but there are many locations or conditions where we see that it's most effective. Here is a list of a few of them:
- Back Pain (upper or lower)
- Plantar Fasciitis (foot or calf)
- Sciatica
- Shoulders
- Neck
- TMJ
- Migraines
- Elbow
- Knee
Risks or Side Effects of Dry Needling
Dry needling is a safe practice that our practitioners have gone through rigourous training to perform on our patients. With that said, there are some common side effects that come with treatment we want to make sure you're aware of.
Feeling tired, drowsy, or dizzy may happen during and/or after treatment. For this reason, if a patient has never had dry needling performed before, we recommend patients account for extra time after treatment. This occurs more frequently with treatment sessions in the neck or head.
Minor bleeding, bruising, soreness and pain are common but typically only last 24-48 hours. Other more serious injuries related to the lungs or nerves can occur but are extremely rare.
Recovery after Dry Needling Therapy
It's recommended to drink more water over the next few days or apply ice to help reduce soreness and pain. Additionally, you should minimize activities like working out, running, playing sports or stretching a few days after treatment to allow your muscles to fully recover after treatment. Always error on the side of caution when experiencing any type of pain and stop the activities to avoid any further discomfort.