DRY NEEDLING THERAPY FOR THE BACK PAIN

Are you experiencing tender and twitchy "knots" in your back that cause chronic pain? Are you looking for safer, effective, and non-drug therapies to get rid of back pain? Dry needling therapy can do wonders for you! 1 out of 4 citizens in the USA suffers back pain to some extent, and more than 577 million people are suffering from lower back pain worldwide. In addition, back pain not only causes physical unease but also is a source of financial deprivation.

Why does Back pain arise?

Your back is a complex of bones, muscles, nerves, and connective tissues. Any of these may become dysfunctional due to injury or any pathological state. The most common cause is myofascial pain that may originate due to stress, muscle strain, or continued poor posture.

Dry Needling Therapy

How does it work?  

Dry needling is an amazingly safe, minimally discomforting, and highly effective technique to treat acute and chronic back pain. This is like an acupuncture technique in which sterile needles are inserted at the site of pain in muscles and skin.

A trigger point is a tight band or a local contracture that may disrupt muscle function and cause severe pain. A monofilament needle penetrates the skin into myofascial trigger points and treats neuromuscular pain and movement impairments. When the needle is inserted, the tightened muscles and a band of a myofascial trigger point are relaxed, relieving the pain.

Mechanism of Action:

These needles deactivate the myofascial trigger points by increasing the blood flow towards these knots. Moreover, these block the painful stimuli and help ease muscle contractions at the back.

Dry needling blocks painful stimuli by activation of serotonergic and noradrenergic descending systems. It also decreases the local concentration of P substance and calcitonin gene-linked peptides. Both these lead to reduced painful stimuli at the back having trigger points. 

Things you should know about Dry Needling:         

• There is no need for special preparation before going for dry needling.
• Many people feel better, and pain is relieved after a session, though the session may vary from days to weeks.
• Swelling may be followed after dry needling. Certain supplements like turmeric and arnica can be used to reduce post-needling swelling.
• Mostly the professionals recommend dry needling along with other manual therapies for better results.

Is Dry Needling alone enough for the recovery process?

There’s no doubt that trials and studies have proved that dry needling shows mind-blowing results in pain alleviation, but it is not a standalone procedure. Instead of using dry needling as a sole tool to ease the pain, it should be paired with other therapies. For example, American Physical Therapy Association (APTP) recommended using other manual treatments and exercises combined with dry needling for excellent results.

Conclusion:

Multiple randomized controlled studies have proved that dry needling effectively alleviates back pain compared to other techniques, including acupuncture. However, dry needling should be performed with great care and only by expert physiotherapists to avoid the potential risks associated with dry needling.

Are you in pain? We care!

If you are suffering from any type of bak pain Emery Physical Therapy can help! We strongly encourage you to consult with any of our highly trained physical therapists! Visit our location today or call as 847-786-2014.