Benefits Of Dry Needling Pennsylvania

By Robert Edwards


Pain management is an important facet of medical care these days. Many of the protocols depend on pharmaceutical drugs. Those who are afraid of getting hooked on prescription medication, or others who find drugs an incomplete answer, may want to investigate dry needling Pennsylvania clinic therapy. This therapy has slowly gained in popularity since its beginnings over forty years ago.

The therapy is fairly simple in execution. It involves the insertion of a needle - similar to an acupuncture needle but often larger in size - through the skin and into muscle tissue. It can affect a precise muscle or stimulate trigger points, which are certain spots on the body that activate pain either at that point or at a specific point some distance away.

Solid needles are used, called filiform, unless injections of corticosteroids or other therapeutic substances are part of the treatment. That calls for hollow, hypodermic needles. Sometimes the instruments are acupuncture tools, but in needling they are often larger. The use of a needle allows the therapist to target specific areas of muscle tissue for stimulation or injection.

Muscles can contract and fail to release again. This instinctive reaction to potential injury - or sometimes to tension - is what is called 'knotting' by massage therapists. When muscles freeze like this, they can affect skeletal alignment and cause pain in their immediate area or in other parts of the body.

If manual manipulation (massage) is not able to release the knots, the use of properly placed needles can offer help. Torn ligaments and tendons can also be targeted to accelerate healing. Needling improves muscle tone and flexibility, too. The restoration of normal movement is a great benefit to those crippled with pain or injured in sports.

Insertion of the needles through the skin is usually painless. The stimulation of muscle tissue may result in cramping, as nerve endings react. Minor bruising and soreness can result from treatment. Ice packs or soaking in Epsom salt baths usually brings relief. Mild physical activity is often recommended after treatments, although anything heavy or strenuous should be avoided.

Two to four treatments are the usual course, although of course cases vary. Many therapists who work with sports injuries incorporate dry needling in their practices. They like the safety of this protocol, as well as its effectiveness and the rapid relief it can offer. In contrast to intestinal complications and possible addiction that conventional pain killers may cause, the side effects here are usually no more than temporary fatigue and soreness.

Look online or in the local phone directory for clinics which offer this therapy, which is growing in popularity. The staff will be able to explain both the purpose and the practical aspects of therapy. Dry needling holds out hope for those who suffer chronic pain or who have suffered an injury while engaging in their favorite sport. Just think about living without back pain or once again being able to exercise as you wish.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment