Dry Needling Saint Paul, MO

Dry Needling Greater Saint Paul, MO. It’s impossible to describe how it feels when pain and lack of motion in our bodies keep us from the activities we love, or even make daily movements like getting in and out of the car painful or even impossible. At Axes Physical Therapy in Saint Paul, MO, we are constantly looking for cutting edge and evidence-backed treatments to help Saint Paul, 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 valuable, simple, and essential part of their larger treatment regiment with us. All of our treatment plans are personalized for each client, the pain or injury that’s affecting them, and the life they want to live. Contact Axes Physical Therapy in Saint Paul, MO online or call the location nearest you and we will shepherd you toward results and a positive outcome you may have never thought possible. While it might sound to good to be true, with our tailored care you will be skipping out the door sooner than you think.

What is Dry Needling? | Saint Paul, MO Physical Therapy

Dry needling, also called trigger point dry needling, uses thin filiform needles to puncture the skin and underlying muscles and connective tissue in order to relieve persistent pain, boost range of motion and return you to the physical lifestyle your used to. Physical therapists often use it to amplify the effects of a larger physical therapy regiment that can include posture correction, exercises, electrical stimulation, and more. Dry needling should solely be carried out by healthcare professionals in Saint Paul, MO, such as the licensed and experienced 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 considered a chronic pain condition that can affect people for months or even years. In our experience and based on our research, dry needling is an easy and economical pain reliever for Saint Paul, MO residents who are burdened with the rising price of prescription meds or have not seen their symptoms improve with other treatments.

We’ve also found trigger point dry needling to be effective for Saint Paul, 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
Various spinal issues
Certain hand injuries like carpal tunnel
Phantom pain
Sciatica

If you’ve been discouraged by treatments that just aren’t producing results 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’ve been waiting for.

How Does Dry Needling Work? | Saint Paul, MO Physical Therapy

Dry needling works by attacking trigger points in the body that are causing pain and lack of mobility. The trigger point can either affect a localized area or affect an entire joint or muscle group. Trigger points are sections 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 Saint Paul, MO helps stimulate an intuitive 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. Also, 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 Saint Paul, MO | Pain Management | Trigger Point Dry Needling Near Saint Paul

Frequently Asked Questions: Trigger Point Dry Needling in Saint Paul, 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 Saint Paul, MO patients don’t even feel them at first. You may feel some slight irritation from the twitch response, 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 the beneficial effects, if you haven’t already.

Is Dry Needling Safe?

When it’s carried out by professional physical therapists, there is absolutely no risk. team in Saint Paul, MO is made up of knowledgeable professionals with a thorough understanding of the anatomy of the musculoskeletal system.

Is Dry Needling Really Effective?

Absolutely, especially when combined with other pain management and mobility techniques. At Axes, our Saint Paul, MO physical therapists only use techniques and practices that we know are effective because of our experience and extensive research. Studies have demonstrated the benefits trigger point dry needling can have for people with injuries or chronic pain.

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 as many as 15 or 20 minutes and go to the core of the muscle, as often dry needling is the only way to manipulate tissue deep within the muscles. 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 plan to you to get you the best outcome possible and efficiently return you to the activities that are most important to you.

How Quickly Does Dry Needling Work?

Some Saint Paul, MO clients can feel the process working right away, while others have to wait a day or two after their first appointment.

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 align a person’s “life force.” Dry needling has its roots in Western medicine and has only gained traction in the last two or three decades.

Will My Insurance Cover Dry Needling?

That depends on your specific 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 go over your insurance plan and investigate how much coverage you can receive.

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

Dry Needling Saint Paul, MO | Pain Management | Trigger Point Dry Needling Near Saint Paul

Trigger Point Dry Needling in Saint Paul, 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 and occupational in Saint Paul, MO act as part of your team to devise a tailored treatment plan that research and experience tells us is effective. We’ve pledged 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, dominating your local pickleball league, or bending down and picking up your grandkids without feeling any pain. Contact a knowledgeable Saint Paul, MO physical therapist online or call the location nearest you.