Dry Needling

Dealing with muscle pain and spasms can be very debilitating and leave you searching for different options to treat the pain beyond traditional methods, such as medications, physical therapy or surgery.

Dry needling is a great alternative for pain relief and an improved range of motion that can be used alongside other therapies to produce better, and in some cases quicker, results.

If you’re experiencing musculoskeletal pain that won’t go away, the dry needling specialists at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio, are expertly trained in how to administer the therapy to ease your symptoms and get you back to enjoying your life.

What is dry needling?

Dry needling therapy is an alternative pain relief technique that physical therapists on our Sports Medicine team may administer for muscle pain. It involves the insertion of a small, solid filament (needle) into a tight muscle’s site of spasm and pain, also known as a trigger point. By doing so, the muscle relaxes, and blood flow increases into the area, alleviating pain and improving motion.

Trigger points are often the result of an injury to a different part of the body, because other muscles overcompensate for imbalances and weakness in the injured area. Muscle spasms can occur, causing discomfort and pain in the muscle.

Once dry needling resets the tone of muscle, your physical therapist works on correcting strength and mobility deficits, which allows healing and prevents injury.

Why is dry needling performed?

Dry needling is performed to improve range of motion and decrease muscle pain. The applications for dry needling are wide since the risk of side effects is very low.

Conditions dry needling treats

While dry needling therapy can be used to treat a wide range of musculoskeletal conditions, some of the most common issues we use dry needling for include:

• Joint issues
• Tendinopathy (injury to tendon from overuse)
• Whiplash
• Migraines or tension headaches
• Carpal tunnel and other repetitive use injuries
• Spinal issues
• Phantom limb pain from amputation 

Am I a candidate for dry needling?

Typically, the treatment is reserved for people who respond to hands-on physical therapy but are seeing only a day or two of symptom improvement before their discomfort and stiffness returns. Dry needling might be able to provide longer relief.

Dry needling shouldn’t be used on children younger than 12 since it can be painful. Other people who shouldn’t receive dry needling include people who:

• Are pregnant
• Have edema
• Have a compromised immune system
• Are experiencing an infection
• Are on blood thinners
• Are afraid of needles
• Have varicose veins

How is dry needling done?

Dry needling is done by physical therapists and other providers who have extensive knowledge of anatomy and undergo advanced training in the treatment.

Generally, those treated with dry needling will go through the following steps:

• Your provider will do a thorough physical examination to determine if you’re a candidate for dry needling and what area might be treated.
• On the day of your procedure, you’ll want to wear loose clothing for easy access to muscles that will receive the dry needling.
• Your provider will sterilize the area of application and palpate with their fingers to locate the tight band of muscle or trigger point. That’s where they’ll place the thin, disposable needle by tapping it gently into your skin and tissue.
• Your muscle might twitch or cramp, which is normal and means the needle is in the trigger point.
• The poke from the needle disrupts the trigger point and allows it to release, reducing tension and pain. The time the needle will stay in the skin varies from only a few seconds up to 20 minutes.
• For the first visit, you’ll generally have only one or two needles placed. This can increase over time.
• After your appointment, make sure to stay hydrated and complete at-home exercises as directed.

Does dry needling hurt?

During treatment, you may experience soreness or twitching, but that means your body is responding correctly. You may also have increased soreness in the 24 to 36 hours following a session.

Dry needling versus acupuncture

Dry needling and acupuncture are similar in that they both use thin needles inserted into the skin to relieve pain or treat certain conditions. How they each accomplish that is very different, though.

Acupuncture has been around for several thousand years with its effectiveness studied extensively. Based on Eastern medicine, acupuncture is focused on a holistic approach to treating a person and promotes healing and rebalancing energy by placing multiple needles along pathways called meridians.

Dry needling interventions have become more popular in mainstream culture over the last three decades. Dry needling more specifically targets dysfunctional muscle and tissue. It’s more associated with Western medicine practice.

How can dry needling help muscle pain?

When the needle stimulates the trigger point, it draws blood to the area and releases tension. The prick from the needle can also cause the brain to release endorphins, which are your body’s own pain medicines.

Results of dry needling

For many people, dry needling can be an effective treatment, especially when used alongside other therapies.

Other benefits include:

• Results are quick and symptoms can improve immediately or take up to 72 hours to resolve.
• The desired effect requires only one to five treatments.
• Rehabilitation exercises are part of the treatment, which promotes healing and injury prevention.
• It’s very safe and much less invasive than surgery.

Risks of dry needling

Dry needling is a low-risk, low-cost treatment option for many people. After you receive dry needling, you may experience:

• Stiffness or soreness
• Bruising at needling site
• Fainting after procedure
• Fatigue

A few serious side effects, such as skin site bleeding — or if needling is done in the thoracic area, a collapsed lung — are very rare, so it’s important you’re treated by someone with extensive training.

Why choose Ohio State for dry needling?

Risks are minimized by using standardized guidelines and having a thorough understanding of anatomy. Clinicians at the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center undergo advanced training, including annual competencies and utilizing current literature, to use dry needling when most appropriate.