Discover How Dry Needling at MMA & Sports Rehab Arlington, VA Can Help You!
Are You In Pain? Dry Needling Can Help You Find Relief
Did you know dry needling is beneficial and pain-free?
Dry needling is a safe and effective method of treatment provided at MMA & Sports Rehab to reduce pain and muscle tension, while simultaneously improving mobility.
It has been proven to treat numerous musculoskeletal issues, including acute and chronic injuries, overuse injuries, neck pain, headaches, back pain, sciatica, muscle spasms, muscle strains, tendinitis, knee pain, hip pain, fibromyalgia, tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, and more.
Dr. Shakya, our Physical and Manual Therapist at MMA Sports & Rehab in Arlington, VA, is proud to offer a unique form of pain relief treatment called Dry Needling. This procedure is typically administered when there is a tissue trauma (injury, improper posture, post-surgery, etc.) causing severe muscle spasms in the area. These spasmic muscles tend to store excessive trigger points in the muscles resulting in increased pain, tenderness to palpation, decreased flexibility, and compression of surrounding joints.
How does dry needling work?
During a treatment, universal precautions are always followed. Dry needling involves multiple advances of a solid filament needle directly into the skin and strained or spasmodic muscle that contains a trigger point. Because the needle is relatively thin, most patients do not feel much pain or irritation and may experience slight needle stick/soreness. When the needle is expertly inserted into the muscles, the sensation is commonly said to mimic a muscle cramp (involuntary spasm). This technique then illicits a local twitch response (LTR), triggering the body’s natural biomechanical and chemical remedy for promoting tissue healing and pain relief without the use of drugs. The needle can be drawn back to the level of the skin and re-directed to treat other parts of the trigger point. By creating this involuntary spasm, Dr. Shakya is able to release the trigger point from the spasmic muscle (which keeps the muscle in a contracted state of pain) by disrupting the body’s faulty “neurological feedback loop”. A research study published in the Journal of Body Mov Ther (Jay Shah and Gilliams in 2008)*, shows that biochemical changes occur after an LTR, which correlate with a clinically observed decrease in pain and tenderness after myofascial trigger point release by dry needling.
Used as an effective adjunct treatment for acute and chronic pain, rehabilitation from injury, and injury prevention, dry needling has very few side effects. The patient may complain of slight needle soreness for a few minutes to a few hours which usually goes away by the next day. Its ability to eliminate chronic neuromuscular dysfunction, which leads to pain and limited mobility, makes it an excellent treatment option for patients seeking lasting relief without the use of opiates/pain medications. As the muscle spasms, flexibility, and pain are improved by dry needling treatment, the patient can focus on progressive therapeutic exercises to improve loading of healing tissues appropriately. Dramatic results of the procedure are most often felt within 2-4 sessions with the experienced Physical and Manual Therapist, Dr. Shakya is located conveniently in central Arlington, VA.
Does dry needling hurt?
Watch Dry Needling in action!
So, how will I benefit from dry needling?
There is a large variety of musculoskeletal issues that can be treated with dry needling. When paired with our traditional exercise-based physical therapy treatments and advanced manual therapy techniques, we have found that the vast majority of our patients achieved the pain-free goals they were aiming for.
After conducting a comprehensive evaluation to assess the nature of your condition, our Arlington, VA physical therapist will let you know if dry needling is the best course of treatment for you.
We have used this to treat several diverse conditions, from chronic pain sufferers to athletes experiencing delayed onset muscle soreness.
A few tips to keep in mind that will make your experience more valuable and lasting include the following:
- Wear appropriate clothing that makes your body accessible during the treatment.
- Listen to your body and speak up if you’ve reached your threshold. Overwhelming your body with too much pressure at one time can be counterproductive. Communication with the clinician during treatment is key.
- Drink an adequate amount of water and maintain loose mobility after the appointment. This will aid in the dissipation of pain more immediately while providing proper hydration for the body to heal.
- Avoid rigorous exercise or excessive stretching following your treatment.
- Be diligent with the specific therapeutic exercises Dr. Shakya recommends at home to reduce/ prevent future pain and improve function/quality of life.
Check Out What Our Patients Have To Say About Their Experience
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Dry needling can speed up recovery time and allow you to return to your daily life as quickly as possible.
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Your Next Steps…
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Recover & Enjoy Life Pain-Free!