Dry Needing | Add on treatment
Dry Needing is wildly successful treatment which uses very thin needles without any medication (a dry needle) to treat pain and dysfunction caused by a wide range of musculoskeletal problems & headaches. Dry needling may also help with pain associated with sinus trouble and some nerve problems.
Dry Needling is not the same as acupuncture or acupressure. Acupuncture & Acupressure area part of traditional Chinese Medicine, whereas Dry Needling is a Western medicine technique. There is a clear scientific understanding of Dry Needling and it does not follow meridian approaches as acupuncture & acupressure may do.
Dry Needling works by changing the way your body senses pain (neurological effects) & by helping the body heal itself. There are additional electrical and chemical changes associated with Dry Needling which can assist in the healing process. When paired with massage therapy techniques it will help achieve further & longer lasting change in the musculoskeletal system (yo muscles).
Your practitioner will choose a length and thickness of needle (this are micro filament needles, which are similar to the size of acupuncture needles, which are teeny tiny), that is appropriate for your condition and/or body size. The needle is then inserted through the skin into the correct structure. You will feel pressure from the needle, then a small pin prick from the needle penetrating the skin, then the thin layer of fascia that lays on top of the muscle.
When the needle enters the effected muscles, you may feel a sudden cramping feeling in the muscle or even a twitch. These responses are normal, and from a practitioner stand point, fantastic responses, which mean you will experience almost instant relief from your symptoms.
After your Dry Needling and Remedial Massage Therapy treatment you may experience a bit of aching through the treated muscles for 1-3 days after your treatment.
Side effects of Dry Needling may include small bruising around the needle site (similar to any needle injection site bruising) and will clear in 1-2 days. You may also experience a small amount of bleeding when the needle is removed. The bleeding will be a small drop and will stop almost immediately after the application of pressure to the site.
A brief prickling sensation may occur if a nerve is touch. This sensation will be brief when the needle is removed but may last a couple of days in some patients.
In a very small percentage of people fainting may occur. If you have a history of fainting with needle injections, please notify your practitioner that this may occur during your treatment.
If you are having Dry Needling treatment in the shoulder, neck, back or chest, there is an additional risk that involves your lung. If the lung is punctured, a condition called a pneumothorax (air space in the lung). This is a very rare, but serious health condition, and you should go directly to the hospitals ER department. The symptoms of this condition include: shortness of breath (which will get worse over time), sudden sharp pain each time you breath in, a blue-ish hue to your lips & an inability to catch your breath. This condition is easily treated in the hospital.