Dry needling is a treatment technique used on painful or sore muscles and involves the insertion of a thin filament needle. Nothing is injected into the muscle itself, but the needle is inserted into an area of a muscle that contains a myofascial trigger point. A myofascial trigger point is an irritable area of a muscle that usually has a taut band of fibers that refers pain to other areas of the body or recreates your symptoms. Patients may feel a cramp like sensation directly in the muscle being needled or to a referred area of the body. Dry Needling can reproduce the patient's symptoms, and may be helpful in diagnosing the dysfunction causing the patient's pain. Electrical stimulation can be used to stimulate the muscle in which the needle is inserted reducing pain and restoring normal function to the muscle. You may return to your day as you normally would, as dry needling does not require rest after the procedure is completed. You may also experience some muscle soreness afterwards, but no more than if you had exercised. To find out more about how dry needling may help you, please contact our physical therapy clinic today for information.