Dry Needling

What is dry needling?

Dry needling is a treatment available at Charlotte Chiropractic and Rehab to treat musculoskeletal injuries and complications. It can help relieve pain and restore mobility.

While many people mistake dry needling for acupuncture or assume they’re the same, the treatments have some key differences. They use similar needles, but dry needling targets specific areas of muscle tension while acupuncture targets points along energy pathways or meridians.

Charlotte Chiropractic and Rehab helps you select which is best for your treatment after an evaluation of your symptoms.

For dry needling, after identifying trigger points and tight knots in your muscles and soft tissues, the insertion of fine needles through your skin and into your soft tissues at the trigger points releases tension.

You typically notice a difference in just one to two treatments. Charlotte Chiropractic and Rehab might also encourage you to use a foam roller or stretch your tissues to strengthen them and help your results last.

What can dry needling treat?

Dry needling treats muscle knots, or trigger points, and other types of pain in your soft tissues. If you have a specific point in your muscles that is painful, tender, or stiff, dry needling may be a viable solution. Common areas of trigger points are:

• Neck
• Shoulders
• Pelvis
• Upper back
• Lower back
• Legs
• Heels

The most common areas of trigger points are muscles that help support your posture. Most people get singular trigger points every once in a while. If you have many painful trigger points at the same time, you might have myofascial pain syndrome (MPS).

Does dry needling cause any side effects?

Dry needling is a safe, science-backed treatment with more benefits than drawbacks. Right after your treatment, you might notice a few mild but easily manageable side effects. They include:

• Muscle soreness
• Light bleeding
• Light bruising

Charlotte Chiropractic and Rehab uses sterile needles to avoid the chance of an infection during your treatment. If you have any questions or concerns about side effects or sensations that you feel during dry needling, Charlotte Chiropractic and Rehab can address them for you.

To find out more about trigger points and dry needling, request your consultation by phone at Charlotte Chiropractic and Rehab today.