Dry Needling Greater Concord, MO. It’s hard to describe how it feels when pain and lack of motion in our bodies keep us from the the things we love doing, or even make daily tasks like picking something up off the ground difficult or even impossible. At Axes Physical Therapy in Concord, MO, we are constantly looking for new and treatments that have been proven through research to help Concord, MO residents get back to living pain-free and getting back to their active lifestyle. Many of our patients have found that dry needling is an effective, easy, and important part of a more comprehensive treatment regiment with us. All of our treatment plans are personalized for each client, their injury, and the activity level they’re striving to get back to. Contact Axes Physical Therapy in Concord, MO online or reach out to the location nearest 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 sooner than you think.
What is Dry Needling? | Concord, MO Physical Therapy
Dry needling, also known as trigger point dry needling, uses thin filiform needles to perforate the skin and musculoskeletal tissue in order to alleviate frequent pain, improve range of motion and return you to feeling like you again. Physical therapists often use it to amplify the effects of a broader treatment plan that can include posture correction, stretching, electrical stimulation, and more. Dry needling should exclusively be carried out by medical professionals in Concord, MO, such as the qualified and knowledgeable physical and occupational therapists at Axes.
Dry needling is often used to treat myofascial pain. The root myo refers to your muscles, while fascia refers to the connective tissue between the muscles. Myofascial pain is considered a chronic pain condition that can affect people for months or even years. We’ve found that dry needling is a simple and affordable alternative for Concord, MO residents who are burdened with the rising 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 Concord, MO patients with:
- Soft tissue injuries
- Back pain
- Neck pain
- Knee injuries and other joint problems
- Chronic migraines and headaches
- Arthritis
- Rotator cuff tears
- Certain sports injuries
- Various spinal issues
- Various hand injuries like carpal tunnel
- Phantom pain
- Sciatica
If you’ve been frustrated by unsuccessful treatments in the past and are getting anxious to get back to the activities you love, make an appointment for a free screening for your injury or chronic pain with one of our knowledgeable physical and occupational therapists to discover if dry needling could finally be the solution you need to end your chronic pain for good.
How Does Dry Needling Work? | Concord, MO Physical Therapy
Dry needling works by attacking trigger points in the body that are the root cause of your pain and lack of mobility. The pain may either be specific to the trigger point, or radiate out to affect an entire joint or muscle group. Trigger points are portions of damaged tensed or stressed muscles or tissue that restrict blood flow to that area and surrounding areas. That makes recovery more difficult. By gently puncturing or tearing the knots in your tissue, your Axes physical therapist in Concord, MO helps prompt an instinctive bodily reaction; the micro-tears influence the body to heal the muscle and tissue and promote the flow of blood and essential nutrients into the area. When the tissue is pierced, the needles will stimulate a “twitch” response by sending Axons, or nerve fibers, to the affected areathat will make the trigger point less irritable. That causes the brain to release endorphins, which naturally reduces pain and even improves happiness.
Frequently Asked Questions: Trigger Point Dry Needling in Concord, MO
Does Dry Needling Hurt?
The needles that physical therapists use in dry needling are eight times thinner than needles used for shots and vaccines, so many of our Concord, MO patients don’t even feel them until they get deeper into the muscle. You may feel some slight irritation from the twitch response, but it lasts for less than two seconds and shows that the desired effect is already taking hold. Some patients report some dull aches in the pierced muscle or tissue for up to a couple days, but after that, you should start noticing improvements in pain and mobility, if you haven’t already.
Is Dry Needling Safe?
When it’s performed by qualified physical therapists, there is nothing to worry about. All of our physical and occupational therapists in Concord, MO are skilled professionals with a thorough understanding of the anatomy of the musculoskeletal system.
Is Dry Needling Really Effective?
Without a doubt, especially when combined with other pain management and mobility techniques. At Axes, our Concord, MO physical therapists only use techniques and practices that have been proven to work through extensive medical and academic studies. Studies have demonstrated that trigger point dry needling effectively reduces pain and improves function.
How Long Do The Needles Stay in For? How Deep They Go?
We base that on you, how severe the pain is, lack of function, and the affected region. Some piercings will be largely superficial and the needles will only stay in for 15-20 seconds. In other cases, the needles will remain for a few minutes and penetrate deep into the muscle, as often dry needling is the most effective way to access tissue deep within the muscles. All Axes physical therapy plans are unique, just like our patients.
How Many Sessions Will I Need?
Again, that depends on you. Some patients see significant improvement after one session, while others need five or six sessions to get the full benefit. We’ll tailor your experience to you to get you the maximum benefit and efficiently get you back to doing what you love most.
How Quickly Will I See Improvements With Dry Needling?
Some Concord, MO clients can feel the process working right away, while others will need two or three sessions. Rest assured, all of our patients eventually see improvements.
Are Dry Needling and Acupuncture the Same?
Only in that they use similar needles. Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medical technique, invented thousands of years ago, that seeks to align a patient’s “life force.” Dry needling has its roots in Western medicine and has only recently become widely used by physical therapists and other medical professionals.
Will My Insurance Cover Dry Needling?
That depends on your particular insurance 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 the active lifestyle they’re accustomed to. If it’s easiest for you, we can reach out to your insurance company and investigate how much coverage you can receive.
Some of the other services we offer in Concord, MO are:
- Rotator Cuff Tear Treatment
- Running Injury
- MCL Tear
- ACL Rehabilitation
- Functional Capacity Evaluation
- Vertigo Treatment
- Total Knee Replacement Physical Therapy
- Vestibular Therapy
- Concussion Treatment
- Soft Tissue Mobilization
Trigger Point Dry Needling in Concord, 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 professional and experienced physical in Concord, MO work with you as a team to develop a tailored treatment plan that research and experience tells us is effective. We’ve devoted our practice to positive patient outcomes and getting you back to the activities you love most, whether that running a fast break, biking through the park, or just being able to go about your day without feeling any pain. Get in touch with a professional Concord, MO physical therapist online or call the location nearest you.