At St. Claire, our physical therapists use dry needling as a technique to treat chronic muscle pain. Using a “dry” needle (meaning without medication or injection), physical therapists can release or inactivate areas of the muscle, known as trigger points in order to relieve pain, reduce muscle tension, or improve range of motion.
A trigger point is a taut band of skeletal muscle located within a larger muscle group. Trigger points can be tender to the touch and touching a trigger point may cause pain to other parts of the body.
Dry needling involves a thin filiform needle that penetrates the skin and stimulates underlying trigger points and muscular and connective tissues. This thin needle allows a physical therapist to target tissues that are not manually palpable.