It is a common misconception that dry needling is simply another term for acupuncture. Although both of these treatments involve the use of needles, there are not many additional similarities between the two.
The main difference between the two treatments is that while traditional acupuncture is based on ancient Chinese medicine, dry needling is based on human anatomy. Further, dry needling is used to treat chronic and acute muscle pain while acupuncture is geared toward internal ailments such as digestive issues, headaches, and stress management. There is also a tendency in acupuncture to keep the needles in longer, while during a dry needling treatment, you may have the needles in for a shorter period of time.
Dry needling targets regions of knotted up and tense tissue called trigger points. Solid needles are inserted into these trigger points leading to the release of the built up tension. The depth and how long the needles stay in for is dependent on the specific pain being treated. Dry needling works best when used in tandem with chiropractic and physical therapy. Some common issues that can be improved with dry needling include joint problems, carpal tunnels syndrome, general low back and neck pain, jaw problems, whiplash, hip issues and many others.
While dry needling may seem intimidating at first, it may be just what you need to relieve your body of its stubborn tension. With any questions or to set up an appointment, call us at (414) 421-2225.