How does dry needling work in physiotherapy?

IMS or dry needling comes in handy when nothing else seems to work on your chronic pain. Though an integral part of physiotherapy treatments, not many know how this works exactly. It may seem painful but is actually minimally invasive and highly effective. It boosts the natural healing response of your body. So, let’s learn what IMS is and its mechanism in physiotherapy. 

What is dry needling?

Dry needling is a therapeutic treatment that helps damaged muscles release tension and pain. A trained physical therapist involves the insertion of small, sterile, thin filament needles into the skin and muscles directly without the use of medications. The therapist detects the myofascial trigger point in your body and inserts the needles accordingly. 

How do trigger points develop in the first place?

The constant overuse of muscles, injury or a musculoskeletal condition causes contraction knots in the muscle. Multiple contraction knots are active trigger points within the muscle that can limit a person’s ability to contract, lengthen or shorten the muscle. Thus, the muscle ends up compressing the structure around it, thereby causing pain. 

How does dry needling work?

According to research, the insertion of filament needles causes favourable biochemical and mechanical changes in your body. These changes help in reducing chronic pain or musculoskeletal injuries. 

The trigger points, as mentioned earlier, consist of numerous contraction knots. The physiotherapist identifies the knots and inserts the needles exactly at those trigger points to provide you with maximum relief. These points are also surrounded by chemicals and abnormal electrical activity that cause inflammation in the area. 

Once the needle is inserted into the trigger point, it generates a local twitch response. With time and consistent sessions, the treatment restores the normal electrical and chemical environment of the muscle. The pain hence subsides and inflammation reduces. 

IMS deactivates the active trigger points. Deactivated trigger points extract plasma and white blood cells to create a healing response throughout the area. 

What to expect from the dry needling sessions?

The physiotherapist first gathers information about your current medical problems and past medical history. Then they run some physical tests to detect the exact active trigger points within your muscle. Once they find that out, they begin the treatment by inserting the needles into the trigger points directly. 

The therapist recommends the number of sessions you need to recover completely after noticing how you respond to the first treatment. Typically, people find relief after a few visits. 

When to seek IMS treatment?

You can opt for IMS for a variety of musculoskeletal conditions. It is highly effective in the treatment of neck, shoulder and back pain, headaches, jaw pain, arm pain, leg pain, etc. 

If you are confused, have a word with the physiotherapist first regarding your problems. Let them assess you and let you know whether dry needling is the right treatment for you. 

Looking for dry needling therapy in Brampton?

Physiotherapy First provides quality IMS treatment in Brampton and the surrounding area. We maintain the highest safety protocols and hygiene standards throughout the treatment to provide you with maximum relief. Book your appointment and start feeling better today!