PT – Dry Needling 101

How Dry Needling Can Help You Find Relief

Dry needling is focused on targeting “trigger points.” A trigger point is a taut band of muscle located within a larger muscle group that is often tender to the touch.

This dysfunctional muscle group can be painful, and causes surrounding muscles and fascia to become dysfunctional too.

Trigger points may spark pain in other parts of the body, limit movement, and more.

This technique helps physical therapists target tissues under the skin that they may not be able to manually shift and engage with targeted stretches and pressure exercises.

How Dry Needling Can Help Your Muscle Pain

Improves Blood Flow

Stimulating a trigger point with a needle helps to draw blood supply back to the treatment area. This is a natural part of your body’s healing process, and helps relieve tension and improve health of the muscle group.

Releases Endorphins

Dry needling isn’t painful, but you may feel a small “prick.” This sensation can stimulate nerve fibers that tell the brain to release endorphins – your body’s natural “pain medication.” These endorphins help promote recovery and pain relief.

Improves Muscle Performance

When dry needles release taut bands found within muscles, spasms are decreased. Because of this, better range of motion can be achieved. You’re able to use muscles more efficiently, and use a fuller range of motion.

Promotes Healing

Dry needling does create tiny injuries within dysfunctional muscles with every needle insertion. The body responds with an inflammatory response, which stimulates collagen production, which can help restore the muscle’s normal function.

What Your Dry Needling Experience Will Look Like

AT WARNER ORTHOPEDICS & WELLNESS, OUR GOAL IS TO HELP YOU RECOVER AND MAINTAIN YOUR MOBILITY WHILE REDUCING PAIN – NATURALLY!

1. Physical Assessment

Your physical therapist will first assess your mobility and pain levels with a physical exam. This may involve manipulating joints and pressing on muscles to identify trigger points.

2. Tools Used

It’s called “dry” needling because nothing is injected during this therapy. The needles used are sterile and one-time use. These needles are extremely thin – all you should feel during your therapy is a small pinch at most.

3. Targeting LARGE Muscle Groups

For your first appointment, your physical therapist will focus on the muscle groups that need the most attention. Spreading the needles out, and only using a few, with both help you get used to the procedure and also help you find relief with less soreness.

4. After Your Procedure

After your session, you should experience decreased pain and increased mobility. You will be sore in a way you would feel after a workout – but this should not limit your mobility. You should be able to continue your regular activities and exercise routines.

Our approach to treating pain & lack of function is unmatched in Baton Rouge

Thoughtful & total Care

Dr. Meredith Warner founded her clinic and with it her vision for helping people age optimally – with less pain and more function. She considers the patient’s lifestyle, mental and physical conditions when offering her patients a treatment plan.

a complete healing team

Our team of physicians & physical therapists work together to improve your ability to restore function, reduce pain levels, and treat multiple conditions that affect the brain, nerves, spine, bones, muscles, joints, ligaments and tendons.

AGING OPTIMALLY

We specialize in movement, anti-inflammatory, skin health, immune health, strength, and treating pain (in a healthy way.) All of this lets us help you age optimally, enjoy life, avoid doctors, avoid medications, be active, and look and feel good.

Most Insurances accepted

Call: 225.754.8888

You Can Take Steps To Improve Your Overall Health Today.

Expert Orthopedic & Podiatry Care

Dr. Warner founded her private practice according to her beliefs about functional medicine, or functional wellness, verses conventional medicine.

At Warner Orthopedics & Wellness, we believe that good medicine should be proactive and encompass the whole of you and your body’s systems.

How We Support You On Your Wellness Journey:
Functional healing focuses more on supporting an already healthy lifestyle – or adapting routines to create a healthier way of living – instead of merely responding to illness and injury with treatments designed to only address symptoms.

In our clinic, we believe that you are ultimately in charge of accomplishing your health goals. We just give you the tools and resources you need to get started towards a path to better overall wellness.

We believe that you should be empowered in your health journey.