Dry Needling
Trigger Point Dry Needling (TDN) is a treatment technique, which uses small filament type needles to release tight muscles with the goal of permanently reducing muscle pain and dysfunction.
Dry Needling for Headaches
When used on muscles in the neck and jaw that have been shown to refer pain to the head, dry needling can reduce the sensitivity and tone of these muscles, thereby helping to reduce the severity of the patient's headache.
As well as referral zones, Dry Needling can be effective in reducing the mechanical stress on joints in the neck casued by muscle tightness and restriction.
Reducing the sensitivity of spinal nerves can reduce the sensitivity of the area of te brain that can cause headaches (trigeminocervical neucleus)
Dry Needling for Back Pain
Back pain can be caused by increased muscle tightness, spinal nerve sensitivity and joint stiffness. Trigger Point Dry Needling has been shown to decrease tension in tight muscles, imporve joint mobility and reduce sensitivity of spinal nerves and the structures they supply.
Associated with back pain be referred pain which pain distant from the site of dysfunction, such as leg pain Dry needling can help target these refrral zones, reducing their severity and helping to improve muscle function
What is a Trigger Point
A Trigger Point is an area of hyperirritable skeletal muscle or fascia. They are associated with shortened or tight muscles, often resulting in nodules, commonly known as "knots". Trigger points can lead to nerve sensitivity or neuropathy.
Neuropathy occurs when a nerve becomes super-sensitive and normal signals become exaggerated, resulting in pain even when there is no percievable cause.