Dry Needling Affton, MO | Pain Management

Dry Needling Greater Affton, MO. It’s impossible to describe how it feels when pain and lack of motion in our bodies won’t allows us to engage in the the things we love doing, or even make basic movements like getting in and out of the car challenging or even impossible. At Axes Physical Therapy in Affton, MO, we are constantly looking for innovative and evidence-backed treatments to help Affton, MO residents get back to their active lifestyle, or just finally live pain free again. Many of our patients have found that dry needling is a successful, effortless, and essential part of their larger treatment regiment with us. We tailor all of our physical therapy services specifically to each client, the pain or injury that’s affecting them, and the activity level they’re striving to get back to. Contact Axes Physical Therapy in Affton, MO online or call the location closest to you and we will shepherd you away from chronic pain and back to the activities you love. While it might sound to good to be true, with our tailored care you will be sprinting down the court, riding your bike, or just painlessly going through daily life in no time.

What is Dry Needling? | Affton, MO Physical Therapy

Dry needling, also referred to as trigger point dry needling, employs thin filiform needles to pierce the skin and musculoskeletal tissue in order to relieve persistent pain, improve range of motion and return you to the physical lifestyle your used to. Physical therapists often include it in a holistic physical therapy regiment along with posture education, stretching, electrical stimulation, and more. Dry needling should solely be done by healthcare professionals in Affton, MO, such as the professional and knowledgeable physical and occupational therapists at Axes.

Dry needling is often used to treat myofascial pain. “Myofacial” is rooted in Greek, with myo meaning muscles and fascia meaning a “flat band,” or the connective tissue inside and surrounding the muscles. Myofascial pain is considered a chronic pain condition that can affect people until they find appropriate and successful treatment. In our experience and based on our research, dry needling is a simple and economical alternative for Affton, MO residents who are saddled by the increasing cost of medication or have not seen their symptoms improve with other treatments.

We’ve also found trigger point dry needling to be effective for Affton, MO residents with:

Soft tissue injuries
Back pain
Neck pain
Knee injuries and other joint issues
Chronic migraines and headaches
Arthritis
Rotator cuff tears
Various sports injuries
Various spinal issues
Certain hand injuries like carpal tunnel
Phantom pain
Sciatica

If you’ve been flummoxed by ineffective treatments in the past and are getting anxious to get back to the lifestyle and routine you love and had grown accustomed to, make an appointment for a free screening for your injury or chronic pain with one of our knowledgeable physical and occupational therapists to learn if dry needling can be implemented into a holistic and proven physical therapy regiment with Axes.

How Does Dry Needling Work? | Affton, MO Physical Therapy

With dry needling, we treat patients by focusing on specific areas or regions, known as trigger points, that are the root cause of limiting pain. The pain may either be specific to the trigger point, or radiate out to affect an entire joint or muscle group. Trigger points are sections of inflamed over-stretched or irritated muscles or tissue that restrict blood flow to that area and surrounding areas. That makes recovery more difficult. By lightly piercing or tearing damaged muscles or tissue, your Axes physical therapist in Affton, MO helps induce a natural bodily reaction; the micro-tears tell the body to heal the muscle and tissue and promote the flow of blood and vital nutrients into the area. When the tissue is pierced, the needles will stimulate a “twitch” response by initiating a nerve pathway that can change the biochemical makeup of the trigger point. That that communication to the brain releases endorphins, which naturally reduces pain and even improves happiness.

Dry Needling Affton, MO | Pain Management | Trigger Point Dry Needling Near Affton

Frequently Asked Questions: Trigger Point Dry Needling in Affton, MO

Does Dry Needling Hurt?

The needles used to penetrate your muscles are eight times thinner than needles used for injections, so many of our Affton, MO patients don’t even feel them pierce the skin. some patients report light irritation when the twitch response is induced, but it lasts for less than two seconds and is a signal that dry needling is working. You may feel some soreness in the pierced muscle or tissue for 24 to 48 hours, but after that, you should start feeling better, if not earlier.

Is Dry Needling Safe?

When it’s done by professional physical therapists, there is absolutely no risk. team in Affton, MO is made up of knowledgeable professionals with a deep understanding of the nervous and musculoskeletal systems and safe practices.

Is Dry Needling Really Effective?

Without a doubt, especially when combined with other pain management and mobility techniques. At Axes, our Affton, MO physical therapists only use techniques and practices that have been proven to work through extensive research. Studies show that trigger point dry needling effectively reduces pain and improves function.

How Long Do The Needles Stay in For? How Deep They Go?

The specific dry needling techniques we use will be tailored to your needs. Some piercings will be incredibly shallow and the needles will only stay in for 15-20 seconds. In other cases, the needles will stay in for a few minutes and go to the core of the muscle, as often dry needling is the most effective way to treat harder to reach muscles and tissue. Your entire experience at Axes will be based exclusively on what is best for you.

How Many Sessions Will I Need?

Again, that depends on you. Depending on your injury or pain and how your body heals, you could need anywhere from one to six sessions to get the most out of dry needling. We’ll tailor your experience to you to get you the best outcome possible and effectively return you to the activities that are most important to you.

How Quickly Does Dry Needling Work?

Some Affton, MO clients can feel improvements right away, while others may have to wait a day, or may not feel the benefits until their second session.

Are Dry Needling and Acupuncture the Same?

This is a common misconception, but no. Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medical technique, practiced for thousands of years, that aims to balance a patient’s “life force.” Dry needling is based on Western medicine and has only gained traction in the last several decades.

Will My Insurance Cover Dry Needling?

Insurance plans all vary, so we can’t know until we look at your personal plan. At Axes, we believe everyone should have access to the effective and evidence-backed physical therapy they need to improve their quality of life and get back to living the life they want. If you’d like, we’ll go over your insurance plan and determine if physical therapy is included in your coverage.

Some of the other services we offer in Affton, MO are:

Dry Needling Affton, MO | Pain Management | Trigger Point Dry Needling Near Affton

Trigger Point Dry Needling in Affton, MO | Axes Physical Therapy

Many of our patients come to us as their last resort because, after all sorts of medication and other treatments, they still just can’t find relief. At Axes, our licensed and experienced physical in Affton, MO work with you as a team to design a tailored treatment plan that we’ve seen be successful with our own eyes. We’ve dedicated our practice to positive patient outcomes and getting you back to the activities you love most, whether that hitting a home run on your local softball team, biking through the park, or just being able to go about your day without feeling any pain. Get in touch with a knowledgeable Affton, MO physical therapist online or call the location most convenient for you.