Dry What? What is Dry Needling?

When I first introduce dry needling to a patient, the usual response I get is, "Dry what?" While dry needling is gaining popularity thanks to social media, quite a few people still don’t know what it is.

I frequently offer this treatment to patients because I see how effective it can be in addressing stubborn muscle tightness, trigger points (or knots), persistent pain, or scar tissue adhesions.

In this blog, I want to help you understand what dry needling is, how it’s performed, how to know if it’s appropriate for you or not, and what pelvic health conditions respond well to it. So, let’s get to it.

What Exactly is Dry Needling?
Dry needling involves the use of a thin monofilament needle inserted into a muscle, and sometimes scars or tendons, depending on the treatment goal. The goal of inserting the needle into the muscle is to target a myofascial trigger point (aka those stubborn knots) to release muscle tension, improve blood flow, and enhance mobility.

How is Dry Needling Performed?
Once I determine the area of treatment, I feel for muscle tightness or knots. I then use an alcohol swab to clean the surface of the skin. Using a single-use thin monofilament needle, I insert the needle into the skin and down into the underlying muscle. Once in the muscle layer, the needle is moved up and down and around to “clear” the area of restrictions or knots.

The length of the needle is determined by the area of the body being treated. For example, the buttock muscles are thicker, so to reach the deeper hip rotators underneath, I need a longer needle. Conversely, the muscles of the neck and superficial pelvic region are thinner, so a shorter needle length is used.

How Do You Know if Dry Needling is Appropriate for You?
Dry needling may be appropriate for anyone experiencing the following:

• Muscle pain
• Muscle tension
• Myofascial trigger points or knots
• Decreased mobility.
• Scar tissue adhesions.
• Hard-to-reach muscles that are difficult to target with a provider’s hands.
• Discomfort or inability to undergo pelvic internal treatment due to post-surgical protocols or personal comfort levels.
• Who Should Avoid Dry Needling?
  

Dry needling may not be suitable for individuals with the following conditions:

• Fear of needles
• Bleeding disorders
• Taking blood thinners (relative risk)
• Active cancer
• Implants in the area that needs needling (e.g., breast, buttock)
• Needling into an area of lymphedema

Examples of pelvic health conditions that respond well to dry needling:

• Pelvic pain
• Back pain
• Hip pain
• Groin pain
• Sciatica
• Coccydynia (tailbone pain)
• Dyspareunia (pain with sex)
• Urinary urgency
• Urinary incontinence
• Constipation

In Summary
Dry needling can be a beneficial treatment option for patients with muscle tension, myofascial trigger points, decreased mobility, and decreased strength due to muscle tightness. It can also promote the healing of scar tissue by breaking up adhesions.

It’s important to note that dry needling is done in conjunction with other treatment methods. It’s most effective when combined with supportive exercises such as stretching, mobility, and strengthening.

If you want to learn more about what you can expect during a dry needling session, such as what it feels like or what to expect afterward, be sure to check out my next blog! I plan to dive into all these questions, as many of my patients ask.

If you have questions or think dry needling could help you, feel free to contact us today! We would love to discuss your case.