By our very own Holly Koch.
You may have heard of a treatment called dry needling and wondered what exactly it is or if it’s something that may be right for you. Hopefully, we can answer some of your dry needling questions here.
What is it?
Dry needling is a treatment performed by skilled, trained acupuncturists, in which a thin monofilament needle is used to penetrate trigger points in muscle tissue. A trigger point is a local contracture or tight band in a muscle fiber that can restrict function and range of motion, and refer pain or cause local tenderness. When dry needling is used to treat a dysfunctional muscle or trigger point, it can decrease banding or tightness, increase blood flow, and reduce local and referred pain (Johnson).
What kinds of problems does dry needling treat?
Dry needling can be used for a wide variety of musculoskeletal issues, such as shoulder, neck, heel, hip, and back pain. Additionally, a 2019 clinical trial showed that “dry needling in patients with chronic tension-type headache is effective and safe in reducing headache intensity, frequency and duration, and increasing health-related quality of life” (Gildir).
Does my insurance cover it?
If your insurance plan covers acupuncture, it will likely cover dry needling. Call our office at 541-338-7088 to find out the details of your individual plan.
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