What is dry needling?
Dry needling is a physical therapy technique where the physical therapist uses very thin, monofilament (solid metal) needles to penetrate skin and muscles, triggering a twitch response. Called “trigger point needling” causes muscles to loosen and lengthen, helping relieve pain. Dry needling can also be used to stimulate neural tissues for treating inflamed nerve conditions such as sciatica or carpal tunnel syndrome, stimulate sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system function, and improve tissue healing in tendon and cartilage injuries such as Achilles tendonitis and tennis elbow. Some patients report feeling a slight pinch when the needles are inserted, but most describe the procedure as relatively painless.
