Edmonton Dry Needling Services

Not getting the relief you were hoping for with traditional soft tissue techniques?

Dry needling can be particularly beneficial for long standing muscle tightness and pain.

Dry Needling techniques involve the repeated advancement of very fine needles into a dysfunctional muscle.  The aim is to target knots, or trigger points in the muscle, causing a twitch response and allowing the dysfunctional tissue to release.  Dry Needling can be an effective strategy in treating both acute and chronic injuries and has been shown to decrease pain and muscle tightness and improve function.

What Can I Expect at My First Visit?

Your Physical Therapist will perform a comprehensive exam including a thorough history and physical exam in order to determine the nature of your injury or condition and the most effective treatment plan. If your therapist thinks you would benefit from Dry Needling, they will discuss with you any benefits or risks and will integrate dry needling as part of a treatment program that will likely also include manual therapy, education and therapeutic exercises.

Is Dry Needling Painful?

Usually a healthy muscle feels very little discomfort with insertion of the needle. If, however, the muscle is sensitive and shortened or has active trigger points within it, the individual may feel a sensation much like a small muscle cramp, which is often referred to as a ‘twitch response’. The client may only feel the sensation locally or they may feel a referral of pain or similar symptoms for which they are seeking treatment.

Clients soon learn to recognize and even welcome this sensation as it results in deactivating the trigger point, thereby reducing pain and restoring normal length and function of the involved muscle!