I bet we all know someone that says they’ve had dry needling; and I bet they all have a different opinion regarding whether it ‘works’ or whether it’s ‘painful’, among other things. But what actually is dry needling? And most importantly, can it help you?
Have you ever noticed those hard lumps under the skin and in your muscles, like little marbles or frozen peas? Sometimes they’re so firm that when you push on them, it can almost feel relieving. Sometimes pushing them can relieve a pain somewhere else. These ‘lumps’ are referred to as a knot in your muscle or a trigger point.
Where do knots come from and why do they keep coming back?
If you stop moving as you are right now, you may notice your posture. Are you reading this hunched over your laptop/iPad? Are you sitting on the couch with your shoulders up around your ears and staring at your phone? If the answer is yes, then you have your culprit. Knots, or myofascial trigger points, are formed when a muscle is overloaded, usually due to your body being in a poor position for a length of time. Repetitive movements, typing, texting… Sounding familiar? These can all result in trigger points, or knots, forming.
This loading or strain causes the muscles to overwork, and to fire repetitively without switching off or relaxing. The muscle fibers stay in a state of contraction, just as your forearm muscles would if you were holding a weight. This causes a reduction in blood flow to that area, which in turn triggers the release of sensitizing substances (chemicals) that affect the nerves responsible for transmitting pain messages. This can result in pain and weakness in the local area, as well as in other areas much farther away from the trigger point. This can explain why the area in which you feel pain is not where the problem is.
A lot of the knots you have may just be a result of your posture; at your desk for eight hours a day and then sitting slumped on the couch at night. Alternatively, they can be caused by an accident or an injury that has caused the muscle to spasm and contract. Our muscles don’t just decide to let go or release. They sometimes think they are helping to protect the injury when in fact they are probably contributing to it. Muscle contraction could also be a way of tricking you into feeling stronger – have you been working hard at the gym recently? Have you increased your training?
How will dry needling help me?
A trained therapist will insert a new, sterilized acupuncture needle directly into the knot in the muscle. It sounds a lot worse than it is! In fact, the needles are so thin you can hardly feel them. What you do feel, however, is the positive impact it will have in relaxing your muscles. The aim is to get a ‘twitch response’, whereby the muscle does a little ‘jump’ or spasm. You can usually feel a slight ache where the needle is, and sometimes in the other areas in which you have been experiencing pain. This twitch feels like a slight static shock; similar to the sensation of touching a car door, or taking off a woolen top. Several twitches may be felt depending on how tight the knot is. Generally the needle is left in anywhere from 20 seconds to several minutes.
The results of dry needling, when done properly, can be quite astounding. Tight muscles that have previously not responded to treatment can become soft and relaxed, sometimes after one needle. Depending on the severity of the knot, it can sometimes be a slightly achy experience. You may experience a ‘dead arm’, similar to muscle soreness after doing an intense gym workout. This can last for up to 48 hours – the trigger points aren’t going to give up without a fight! However, if you are open to temporary, slight discomfort, you will be rewarded with relaxed, knot–free muscles and a reduction in your movement restrictions and pain levels. If you are interested in experiencing the wonder and magic that is dry needling for yourself, give us a call today to see if this is something that could benefit you!
