Dry Needling Greater Kirkwood, MO. It’s hard to describe how devastating it can be when pain and lack of mobility in our bodies keep us from the activities we love, or even make ordinary movements like getting in and out of the car difficult or even impossible. At Axes Physical Therapy in Kirkwood, MO, we are constantly looking for cutting edge and evidence-backed treatments to help Kirkwood, 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 a successful, effortless, and important part of a more comprehensive treatment plan with us. We tailor all of our physical therapy services specifically to each client, the pain or injury that’s affecting them, and the life they want to live. Contact Axes Physical Therapy in Kirkwood, MO online or call the location most convenient for you and we will guide you toward true pain relief and freedom of mobility. While it might sound to good to be true, with our personalized care you will be sprinting down the field, jogging through the park, or just painlessly going through daily life sooner than you think.

What is Dry Needling? | Kirkwood, MO Physical Therapy

Dry needling, also known as trigger point dry needling, uses thin filiform needles to perforate the skin and underlying muscles and connective tissue in order to reduce persistent pain, improve range of motion and return you to feeling like you again. Physical therapists often include it in a holistic treatment regiment along with posture correction, exercises, heat therapy, and more. Dry needling should exclusively be done by healthcare professionals in Kirkwood, MO, such as the licensed and experienced physical therapists at Axes.

Dry needling is often used to treat myofascial pain. “Myofacial” comes from Greek, with myo meaning muscles and fascia meaning a “flat band,” or the connective tissue inside and surrounding the muscles. Myofascial pain is known as a chronic pain disorder that can affect people for months or even years. We’ve found that dry needling is a simple and economical option for Kirkwood, MO residents who are saddled by the increasing price of medication or have been frustrated by lackluster results from other treatments.

We’ve also implemented trigger point dry needling for Kirkwood, MO residents with:

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

If you’ve been vexed 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 experienced physical and occupational therapists to learn if dry needling could finally be the solution you’ve been waiting for.

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

Dry needling works 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 region of your body. Trigger points are segments of inflamed tensed or stressed muscles or tissue that restrict the flow of blood to that muscle. That means the affected area is not able to heal as it needs to. By softly stabbing or tearing damaged muscles or tissue, your Axes physical therapist in Kirkwood, MO helps prompt an intuitive response in your nervous system; the micro-tears influence the body to go into healing mode and return blood flow, oxygen, and critical nutrients into the area. Also, the needles will induce a “twitch” response by sending Axons, or nerve fibers, to the affected areathat will make the trigger point less irritable. That that communication within the nervous system releases endorphins, which naturally reduces pain and even improves happiness.

Frequently Asked Questions: Trigger Point Dry Needling in Kirkwood, 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 Kirkwood, MO patients don’t even feel them pierce the skin. You may feel some light irritation from the twitch response, but it is incredibly brief 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 feeling the beneficial effects, if not earlier.

Is Dry Needling Safe?

When it’s performed by licensed physical therapists, there is absolutely no risk. team in Kirkwood, MO is made up of skilled professionals with a extensive grasp of the anatomy of the musculoskeletal system.

Is Dry Needling Really Effective?

Absolutely, especially when it is part of a larger, comprehensive physical therapy regiment. At Axes, our Kirkwood, MO physical therapists only develop plans 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?

That depends on you, your level of pain, lack of mobility, and the affected body part. Some piercings will not go very deep and the needles will only stay in for 15-20 seconds. In other cases, the needles will stay in for as many as 15 or 20 minutes and will go deeper into 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. Some patients see significant improvement after one session, while others need five or six sessions to get the full benefit. We’ll personalize your experience to you to get you the best outcome possible and safely get you back to doing what you love most.

How Quickly Will I See Results With Dry Needling?

Some Kirkwood, 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.

Isn’t Dry Needling Just the Same as Acupuncture?

Not really. Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medical technique, invented thousands of years ago, that aims to balance a person’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 deserves the professional, personalized, and proven treatment plans they need to live without pain and get back to living the life they want. If it’s easiest for you, we can go over your insurance plan and investigate how much coverage you can receive.

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

• Physical Therapy Clinic
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Treatment
• Sciatica Treatment
• Sports Medicine
• Hand Pain Physical Therapy
• Foot & Ankle Pain Treatment
• Hip Pain Treatment
• Plantar Fasciitis Treatment
• Stroke Rehabilitation
• Hip Replacement Physical Therapy

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

Many of our patients come to us after months or even years of pain and mobility issues that just won’t go away, even after extensive treatment. At Axes, our licensed and knowledgeable physical and occupational in Kirkwood, MO work with you as a team to develop a personalized treatment plan that we’ve seen be successful with our own eyes. We’ve devoted our practice to positive patient outcomes and getting you back to the activities you love most, whether that backward kicks on a soccer field, taking a morning job, or just being able to go about your day without feeling any pain. Get in touch with a knowledgeable Kirkwood, MO physical therapist online or call the location most convenient for you.