Dry Needling Greater Mehlville, 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 basic tasks like climbing the stairs challenging or even impossible. At Axes Physical Therapy in Mehlville, MO, we are constantly looking for cutting edge and evidence-backed treatments to help Mehlville, MO residents get back to living pain-free and getting back to the activities they love the most. Dry needling has proven to be an invaluable tool for many of our patients that alleviates pain, softens stiffness, and restores mobility. We tailor all of our physical therapy services specifically to each client, their ailment, and the activity level they’re striving to get back to. Contact Axes Physical Therapy in Mehlville, MO online or find 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 customized care you will be leaping for joy in no time.
What is Dry Needling? | Mehlville, MO Physical Therapy
Dry needling, also known 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 normal function and the active lifestyle you desire. Physical therapists often use it to amplify the effects of a holistic physical therapy plan along with posture education, manual therapy, electrical stimulation, and more. Dry needling should solely be done by medical professionals in Mehlville, MO, such as the professional and knowledgeable physical and occupational 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 greatly limit people in their daily lives until they find appropriate and effective treatment. We’ve found that dry needling is an easy and cost-effective option for Mehlville, MO residents who are burdened with the increasing price of prescription meds or have been frustrated by poor results from other treatments.
We’ve also implemented trigger point dry needling for Mehlville, MO patients with:
- Soft tissue injuries
- Back pain
- Neck pain
- Knee injuries and other joint problems
- Chronic migraines and headaches
- Arthritis
- Rotator cuff tears
- Various sports injuries
- Certain spinal issues
- Various hand injuries like carpal tunnel
- Phantom pain
- Sciatica
If you’ve been frustrated by treatments that just aren’t producing results and are doubting whether or not you’ll ever get back to the activities you love, make an appointment for a free screening for your injury or chronic pain with one of our expert physical and occupational therapists to see if dry needling could finally be the solution you need to end your chronic pain for good.
How Does Dry Needling Work? | Mehlville, 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 trigger point can either affect a localized area or affect an entire region of your body. Trigger points are sections of inflamed tensed or strained muscles or tissue that inhibit the flow of blood to that muscle. That means the affected area is not able to heal as it needs to. By lightly piercing or tearing damaged muscles or tissue, your Axes physical therapist in Mehlville, MO helps prompt an intuitive bodily reaction; the micro-tears tell the body to start the healing process and promote the flow of blood and crucial nutrients into the area. In addition, 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 tells the brain to release endorphins, which naturally reduces pain and even improves happiness.
Frequently Asked Questions: Trigger Point Dry Needling in Mehlville, MO
Is Dry Needling Painful?
The needles that physical therapists use in dry needling are eight times thinner than needles used for shots and vaccines, so many of our Mehlville, MO patients don’t even notice them at first. You may feel some light irritation once the nerve pathways have been activated, but it only lasts for a second and is a signal that dry needling is working. You may feel some soreness in the area for the first day or two, 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. All of our physical therapists in Mehlville, MO are knowledgeable professionals with a deep grasp of the human body.
Is Dry Needling Really Effective?
Without a doubt, especially when combined with other pain management and mobility techniques. At Axes, our Mehlville, 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 mobility, and the affected tissue. Some piercings will be largely superficial and the needles will only stay in for 15-20 seconds. Other times, the needles will remain for as many as 15 or 20 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 treatment regiments are unique, just like our patients.
How Many Sessions Will I Need?
Again, that we will make a personalized recommendation based on your needs. Most patients need anywhere from one to six sessions to fully reduce pain and restore mobility. We’ll customize your experience to you to get you the best outcome possible and safely get you back to the activities that matter most to you.
How Quickly Will I See Improvements With Dry Needling?
Some Mehlville, MO clients obtain immediate relief, while others may have to wait a day, or may not feel the benefits until their second session.
Isn’t Dry Needling Just the Same as Acupuncture?
Only in that they use similar needles. Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese medical technique that seeks to align a patient’s “chi,” or vital life force. Dry needling is based on Western medicine and has only recently become widely used by physical therapists and other medical professionals.
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 deserves the professional, personalized, and proven treatment plans they need to live without pain and get back to the active lifestyle they’re accustomed to. If it’s most convenient for you, we can contact your insurance company and investigate how much coverage you can receive.
Some of the other services we offer in Mehlville, MO are:
- Workers Comp' Physical Therapy
- Sprain and Strain Treatment
- Geriatric Physical Therapy
- Injury Rehabilitation
- Pain Management Services
- TMJ Treatment
- Herniated Disc Treatment
- Rotator Cuff Tear Treatment
- Running Injury
Trigger Point Dry Needling in Mehlville, MO | Axes Physical Therapy
We’ve seen so many patients frustrated by an inability to find pain relief or a return to normal function and activity through medication or other treatments. At Axes, our licensed and knowledgeable physical in Mehlville, MO work with you as a team to develop a customized treatment plan that we’ve seen be successful with our own eyes. We’ve dedicated our practice to reducing and eliminating pain, restoring mobility, and getting you back to the activities you love most, whether that running a fast break, taking a morning job, or bending down and picking up your grandkids without feeling any pain. Reach out to a professional Mehlville, MO physical therapist online or call the location nearest you.