What Exactly is Dry Needling?

“What exactly is dry needling?”

A common question that floats around Hulst Jepsen Physical Therapy throughout the day, as most people are interested but hestitant due to the use of needles.

Dry needling is often compared to acupunture because of the placement and size of the needles used, but the two are not the same. Acupuncture is based upon Traditional Chinese Medicine (which is outside my wheelhouse), whereas Dry Needling is based upon the laws of Western Medicine’s anatomical and neurophysiological principles.

Dry Needling is a treatment technique that helps to resolve areas of soft tissue dysfuction (think muscle knots) in the body by increasing blood flow, releasing trigger points, and initiating tissue repair. It acts as a natural pain reliever because it helps to normalize inflammation to the area where the needle is inserted and stimulate the body’s own healing capabilities. It is termed “dry” because there is no medication that is delivered into the body.

It is important to understand that dry needling itself does not treat any specific disease, but rather is a treatment that helps with self- repair and healing. People who may benefit from dry needling may be experiencing, but not limited to:

• Low back pain
• Chronic pain
• Arthritis
• Stenosis
• Headaches
• Migraines
• Plantar Fasciitis
• Sciatica
• SI joint dysfunction
• Shin splints
• Fibromyalgia
• Elbow Tendonitis

If you are experiencing pain, and would like to try dry needling, come visit us at Hulst Jepsen Physical Therapy! We currently have a promotion through SweatNet where you can receive your first session FREE! We have 15 convenient locations in the Grand Rapids area that all have physical therapists certified in dry needling. To schedule your first appointment with one of our clinics, please call (616) 827-3010 or visit our website at www.hjphysicaltherapy.com.