Dry needling treatment is performed by a skilled, trained physical therapist, certified in the procedure. At our pelvic floor physical therapy office in Houston, dry needling may be performed by your physical therapist as part of your care plan.

Dry needling treats muscle tissue, and its goal is to reduce pain by inactivating trigger points and restoring function. It rarely is a standalone procedure. Rather, it often is part of a broader physical therapy approach incorporating other traditional physical therapy interventions into treatment.

Dry needling can be used for a wide variety of musculoskeletal issues, such as shoulder, neck, heel, hip, pelvic, and back pain. It’s a fantastic way to manage pain without traditional medication that can work well for many patients.

Dry needling is not the same as acupuncture. Dry needling uses similar tools but has a completely different approach, goals, and execution of treatment. Physical therapists tend not to perform acupuncture, and acupuncturists do not perform dry needling.

A trigger point is a local contracture or tight band in a muscle fiber that can disrupt function, restrict range of motion, refer pain or cause local tenderness. When dry needling is applied to a dysfunctional muscle or trigger point, it can decrease banding or tightness, increase blood flow, and reduce local and referred pain.

Dry needling can work well for many patients, including those who can’t (or don’t want to) take traditional pain management medication. There are few risks associated with dry needling, but there is a risk of small bruising and it is normal to be sore for about 24- 48 hours.