What is Dry Needling?
- Dry needling is a western-medicine treatment for musculosksletal and neurologic disorders, with its methods and application rooted in modern science. It is a treatment used to help normalize dysfunctions of the neuromusculoskeletal system.
- Dry needling is performed by inserting a very thin, solid needle into muscle or other connective tissue, with or without the addition of electrical stimulation.
- Dry needling can help decrease pain, decrease tissue tension, improve strength, or improve mobility.
What types of problems can benefit from dry needling?
- Tendon problems such as tennis elbow, Achilles tendinitis, and rotator cuff strains
- Muscle pain such as low back pain and neck pain
- Nerve problems such as carpal tunnel syndrome
- Sports injuries and overuse injuries
- Headaches
- Muscle tension
- Plantar fasciitis
- Certain types of muscle weakness that occurs after injury or surgery
How does dry needling work?
- When inserted into muscles, dry needling produces therapeutic muscle contractions which help to reduce pain and normalize the overall function and tension of the muscle
- When inserted into tendons and other connective tissue, dry needling helps to reduce pain improve the health of the tissue
- Dry needling is rarely a stand-alone therapy, because it works best in conjunction with other traditional PT therapies which complement the therapeutic benefits of the dry needling
How do I know if dry needling would help me?
Your physical therapist will ultimately be the one to determine if dry needling is right for you and your condition.
Diana Smith, MPT, OCS and James Behrens, DPT perform dry needling at Hayden Lake Physical Therapy & Aquatics. Diana earned her Master of Physical Therapy from the Mayo School of Health-Related Science in 2000, and received her dry needling training through Kinetacore/Evidence In Motion and Total Motion Release. James earned his Doctor of Physical therapy at Idaho State University in 2016, and received his dry needling training from Kineticore/Evidence In Motion.
To learn more about our dry needling services or
request an appointment, give us a call at (208) 618-6000
