Dry Needling. How does it help?

You have probably heard of acupuncture but aren't sure what the difference between it and dry needling really is. Well basically the needles are the same but the theory for their use and their applications do differ somewhat. Traditionally acupuncturists treat energy channels called meridians. The balancing of these pathways is crucial to the holistic health of the individual. Often during acupuncture treatments needles are superficially inserted meaning that they only enter the dermis (cutaneous tissue) and do not penetrate to deeper layers which are made of muscle, ligaments, tendons, and deep fascia. There is the first and probably most obvious difference in the two applications. Dry needling when performed by western trained manual health practitioners usually means that the needle is inserted to the level of a trigger point (which is a taut muscle band causing tension/pain) providing a release of stored energy and changing the way we perceive our sympto

ms.