Dry Needling in Aiken

Dry needling is a technique that chiropractors and physical therapists use for treatment of pain and muscle dysfunction.   It is commonly used to treat trigger points which are taut bands or knots within muscles which typically cause discomfort and refer pain to other regions of the body.  The technique uses a thin filiform needle (without medication or injection), which is inserted through the skin into areas of dysfunctional muscle to help relax it and reduce pain.  Dry needling in Aiken is an excellent addition to conventional conservative treatment when patients have stubborn back pain, neck pain, and headaches.

Dry needling is not acupuncture because it is a part of modern western medicine human anatomy and physiology principles for treatment of the musculoskeletal system which is supported by research.  Dry needling involves treatment of muscles, tendons, and associated soft tissues.  Dry needling does not include treatment and balancing of energy meridians commonly used in acupuncture treatments.

In cases of stubborn pain and muscle tension or spasm dry needling can be especially helpful.  We’ve seen stubborn cases of back pain, neck pain, or headaches that failed to respond to conventional chiropractic and physiotherapy, but after adding dry needling to the treatment plan the patients had significant pain relief and reduction of muscle spasms and tightness.  The needle allows us to target specific tissues that may be resistant to massage or other methods of treatment.  Since the needle is so thin during treatment many times you may not even feel the needle is beneath the skin.  We’ve found that many times dry needling is less painful than deep tissue massage.  Research shows that dry needling can reduce pain, reduce muscle tension, and help normalize nerve impulses going to the muscles.  Think of dry needling as another treatment option to help de-stress sore and tight muscles.