Dry Needling Greater Washington, MO. It’s impossible to describe how it feels when pain and lack of mobility in our bodies is preventing us from engaging in the activities we love, or even make basic tasks like getting in and out of the car challenging or even impossible. At Axes Physical Therapy in Washington, MO, we are constantly looking for new and evidence-backed treatments to help Washington, 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, effortless, and vital part of their larger treatment regiment with us. 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 Washington, MO online or find 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 in no time.
What is Dry Needling? | Washington, MO Physical Therapy
Dry needling, also referred to as trigger point dry needling, uses thin filiform needles to pierce the skin and underlying muscles and connective tissue in order to reduce chronic pain, boost range of motion and return you to the physical lifestyle your used to. Physical therapists often use it as part of a larger treatment regiment along with posture correction, manual therapy, heat therapy, and more. Dry needling should exclusively be performed by medical professionals in Washington, MO, such as the professional and experienced physical and occupational therapists at Axes.
Dry needling is often used to treat myofascial pain. “Myofacial” is rooted in 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 condition that can affect people for months or even years. We’ve found that dry needling is an easy and cost-effective option for Washington, MO residents who are burdened with the exorbitant cost of medication or have been frustrated by poor results from other treatments.
We’ve also found trigger point dry needling to be effective for Washington, MO residents 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
- Various spinal issues
- Various hand injuries like carpal tunnel
- Phantom pain
- Sciatica
If you’ve been flummoxed by treatments that just aren’t working and are getting anxious to get back to the activities you love, schedule 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 need to end your chronic pain for good.
How Does Dry Needling Work? | Washington, MO Physical Therapy
With dry needling, we treat patients 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 region of your body. Trigger points are portions of damaged taut or irritated muscles or tissue that inhibit the flow of blood to that muscle. That makes recovery more difficult. By gently puncturing or tearing damaged muscles or tissue, your Axes physical therapist in Washington, MO helps stimulate a natural bodily reaction; the micro-tears tell the body to go into healing mode and return blood flow, oxygen, and crucial nutrients into the area. Also, the needles will prompt a “twitch” response by initiating a nerve pathway that can change the biochemical makeup of the trigger point. That tells the brain to release endorphins, which naturally reduces pain and even improves happiness.
Frequently Asked Questions: Trigger Point Dry Needling in Washington, 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 Washington, MO patients don’t even feel them at first. some patients report mild 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 24 to 48 hours, 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. All of our physical therapists in Washington, MO are knowledgeable professionals with a deep grasp of the human body.
Is Dry Needling Really Effective?
Absolutely, especially when combined with other pain management and mobility techniques. At Axes, our Washington, MO physical therapists only develop plans that we know are effective because of our experience and extensive medical and academic studies. 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 largely superficial 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 easiest 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 we will make a personalized recommendation based on your needs. Depending on your injury or pain and how your body heals, you could need anywhere from one to six sessions to get the most out of dry needling. We’ll tailor your plan to you to get you the maximum benefit and safely return you to the activities that you love most.
How Quickly Does Dry Needling Work?
Some Washington, MO patients get immediate relief, while others may have to wait a day, or may not feel the benefits until their second session.
Are Dry Needling and Acupuncture the Same?
Not really. Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese medical practice that aims to balance a patient’s flow of energy. 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?
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 living the life they want. If it’s most convenient 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 Washington, MO are:
- Geriatric Physical Therapy
- Injury Rehabilitation
- Pain Management Services
- TMJ Treatment
- Herniated Disc Treatment
- Rotator Cuff Tear Treatment
- Running Injury
- MCL Tear
- ACL Rehabilitation
- Functional Capacity Evaluation
Trigger Point Dry Needling in Washington, 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 in Washington, MO act as part of your team to implement a personalized treatment plan that we’ve seen be successful with our own eyes. We’ve committed our practice to getting the best results for our clients and getting you back to the activities you love most, whether that be sliding into home plate, dominating your local pickleball league, or just being able to go about your day without feeling any pain. Get in touch with a knowledgeable Washington, MO physical therapist online or call the location most convenient for you.