Dry Needling Greater Sunset Hills, 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 reaching for something on the top shelf painful or even impossible. At Axes Physical Therapy in Sunset Hills, MO, we are constantly looking for cutting edge and evidence-backed treatments to help Sunset Hills, 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 an effective, effortless, and essential part of a more comprehensive treatment regiment with us. Our treatment plans are as distinctive as 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 Sunset Hills, MO online or call the location closest to you and we will shepherd you toward results and a positive outcome you may have never thought possible. While it may be difficult to believe now, with our personalized care you will be leaping for joy in no time.

What is Dry Needling? | Sunset Hills, MO Physical Therapy

Dry needling, also known as trigger point dry needling, employs thin filiform needles to puncture the skin and musculoskeletal tissue in order to relieve chronic pain, boost range of motion and return you to normal function and the active lifestyle you desire. Physical therapists often include it in a broader physical therapy plan along with posture correction, stretching, massages, and more. Dry needling should only ever be carried out by medical professionals in Sunset Hills, 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 referred to as a chronic pain disorder that can significantly limit people in their daily lives for months or even years. In our experience and based on our research, dry needling is an easy and affordable alternative for Sunset Hills, MO residents who are saddled by the exorbitant 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 Sunset Hills, MO patients with:

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

If you’ve been frustrated by treatments that just aren’t working 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 learn if dry needling could finally be the solution you’ve been waiting for.

How Does Dry Needling Work? | Sunset Hills, 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 region of your body. Trigger points are segments of inflamed knotted or stressed muscles or tissue that restrict the flow of blood to that muscle. That means the affected area is not able to heal properly. By gently piercing or tearing the knots in your tissue, your Axes physical therapist in Sunset Hills, MO helps induce an instinctive response in your nervous system; the micro-tears tell the body to go into healing mode and return blood flow, oxygen, and critical 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 that communication to the brain releases endorphins, which naturally reduces pain and even improves happiness.

Frequently Asked Questions: Trigger Point Dry Needling in Sunset Hills, MO

Is Dry Needling Painful?

The needles used to penetrate your muscles are eight times thinner than needles used for injections, so many of our Sunset Hills, MO patients don’t even notice them at first. You may feel some slight discomfort once the nerve pathways have been activated, but it is incredibly brief and shows that the desired effect is already taking hold. You may feel some dull aches in the affected region for 24 to 48 hours, but after that, you should start noticing improvements in pain and mobility, if not earlier.

Is Dry Needling Safe?

When it’s carried out by experienced physical therapists, there is nothing to worry about. team in Sunset Hills, MO is made up of knowledgeable professionals with a deep grasp of the nervous and musculoskeletal systems and safe practices.

Is Dry Needling Really Effective?

Absolutely, especially when combined with other pain management and mobility techniques. At Axes, our Sunset Hills, MO physical therapists only use techniques and practices that we know are effective because of our experience and 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, how severe the pain is, lack of movement, and the affected body part. Some piercings will be incredibly shallow and the needles will be consistently moved and changed out. Other times, the needles will stay in for a few minutes and penetrate deep into the muscle, as often dry needling is the most effective way to treat tissue deep within the muscles. All Axes physical therapy 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 maximum benefit and effectively get you back to the activities that you love most.

How Quickly Does Dry Needling Work?

Some Sunset Hills, MO patients can feel the process working right away, 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?

This is a common misconception, but no. Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medical technique, practiced for thousands of years, that aims to balance a person’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 should have access to the effective and evidence-backed physical therapy they need to live without pain and get back to feeling like themselves. 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 Sunset Hills, MO are:

• Back Pain Treatment
• Neck Pain Treatment
• 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

Trigger Point Dry Needling in Sunset Hills, 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 skilled physical in Sunset Hills, MO act as part of your team to devise a tailored treatment plan that we’ve seen be successful with our own eyes. We’ve pledged 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. Get in touch with a knowledgeable Sunset Hills, MO physical therapist online or call the location most convenient for you.