dry needling
Dry needling has become one of my favourite tools to communicate with and affect the central nervous system, especially when dealing with pain and chronic holding patterns.
Dry needling is a treatment performed by a skilled, trained therapist, certified in the procedure. A thin single use, monofilament needle penetrates the skin and treats underlying muscular trigger points for the management of neuromusculoskeletal pain and movement impairments.
It’s important to note that dry needling is not the same as acupuncture. It uses similar tools, but that’s where the similarities end. Dry needling is performed by different practitioners with different training. Acupuncture is based on Eastern medicine, while dry needling is rooted in Western medicine and evaluation of pain patterns, posture, movement impairments and function.
Dry needling treats muscle tissue and fascia, and its goal is to reduce pain, inactivate trigger points and restore function. It rarely is a standalone procedure. Rather, it often is part of a broader myofascial release treatment.