Dry Needling Greater West Alton, MO. It’s hard to describe how it feels when pain and lack of motion in our bodies is preventing us from participating in the the things we love doing, or even make basic tasks like standing up or sitting down challenging or even impossible. At Axes Physical Therapy in West Alton, MO, we are constantly looking for cutting edge and treatments that have been demonstrated through research to help West Alton, MO residents get back to their active lifestyle, or just finally live pain free again. Dry needling has proven to be a critical tool for many of our patients that alleviates pain, softens stiffness, and restores mobility. All of our treatment plans are personalized for 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 West Alton, MO online or reach out to the location nearest you and we will guide you away from chronic pain and back to the activities you love. While it may be difficult to believe now, with our personalized care you will be sprinting down the field, riding your bike, or just painlessly going through daily life sooner than you think.
What is Dry Needling? | West Alton, MO Physical Therapy
Dry needling, also known as trigger point dry needling, uses thin filiform needles to penetrate the skin and underlying muscles and connective tissue in order to alleviate chronic 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 holistic treatment regiment that can include posture correction, manual therapy, electrical stimulation, and more. Dry needling should exclusively be carried out by medical professionals in West Alton, MO, such as the licensed and knowledgeable physical and occupational therapists at Axes.
Dry needling is often used to treat myofascial pain. The root myo refers to your muscles, while fascia refers to the connective tissue between the muscles. Myofascial pain is referred to as a chronic pain disorder that can drastically limit people in their daily lives for months or even years. We’ve found that dry needling is a safe and economical pain reliever for West Alton, MO residents who are saddled by the increasing price of prescription meds or have not seen their symptoms improve with other treatments.
We’ve also implemented trigger point dry needling for West Alton, 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 frustrated by ineffective treatments in the past 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 licensed physical and occupational therapists to discover if dry needling can be implemented into a holistic and proven physical therapy regiment with Axes.
How Does Dry Needling Work? | West Alton, 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 segments of damaged knotted or stressed muscles or tissue that impede the flow of blood to that muscle. That makes recovery more difficult. By softly stabbing or tearing the knots in your tissue, your Axes physical therapist in West Alton, MO helps induce a natural response in your nervous system; the micro-tears signal the body to heal the muscle and tissue and return blood flow, oxygen, and crucial 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 within the nervous system releases endorphins, which naturally reduces pain and even improves happiness.

Frequently Asked Questions: Trigger Point Dry Needling in West Alton, MO
Does Dry Needling Hurt?
The needles used to penetrate your muscles are eight times thinner than needles used for shots and vaccines, so many of our West Alton, MO patients don’t even sense them at first. some patients report slight irritation from the twitch response, but it is incredibly brief and indicates that your body is initiating the desired response. You may feel some soreness in the area for 24 to 48 hours, but after that, you should start feeling the beneficial effects, if not earlier.
Is Dry Needling Safe?
When it’s done by qualified physical therapists, yes. team in West Alton, MO is made up of skilled professionals with a thorough understanding of the anatomy of the musculoskeletal system.
Is Dry Needling Really Effective?
Without a doubt, especially when combined with other pain management and mobility techniques. At Axes, our West Alton, MO physical therapists only develop plans that we know are effective because of our experience and extensive medical and academic studies. Studies have demonstrated the advantages 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?
That depends on you, how severe the pain is, lack of function, and the affected region. 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 a few 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 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 customize your plan to you to get you the best outcome possible and effectively get you back to the activities that you love most.
How Quickly Will I See Improvements With Dry Needling?
Some West Alton, MO clients can feel improvements 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 seeks to balance a person’s “life force.” Dry needling is based on Western medicine and has only reached widespread appeal in the last two or three decades.
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 most convenient for you, we can call your insurance company and investigate how much coverage you can receive.
Some of the other services we offer in West Alton, 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 West Alton, 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 qualified and knowledgeable physical and occupational in West Alton, MO work with you as a team to design a personalized treatment plan with a proven track record of success. We’ve devoted our practice to reducing and eliminating pain, restoring mobility, and getting you back to the activities you love most, whether that backward kicks on a soccer field, biking through the park, or bending down and picking up your grandkids without feeling any pain. Contact a professional West Alton, MO physical therapist online or call the location most convenient for you.






