Dry Needling Therapy at Highland Chiropractic

If you are currently debilitated by chronic pain and muscle stiffness, your discomfort may stem from painful knots known as trigger points. Sometimes these trigger points respond to relatively familiar treatment methods such as massage therapy -- and sometimes they don't. Stubborn chronic pain issues may require a targeted approach, and that's where dry needling therapy can step in to help. Our Louisville chiropractor at Highland Chiropractic, Dr. Copeland, is proud to offer this form of therapy alongside our other integrated healing and pain relief services.

Natural Relief for a Wide Range of Conditions

Dry needling therapy is so named because the needles used in the procedure contain no drugs or other fluids -- they are simply very fine, thin needles. At the same time, however, it's important to realize that dry needling therapy and acupuncture are two different techniques that serve different purposes. While acupuncture uses similarly thin needles to regulate nerve function and release natural pain relievers known as endorphins by using the meridians of the body, dry needling also serves to regulate nerve function and the release of endorphins by focusing on those painful trigger points. A trigger point is simply an area of muscle that has tightened into a hard knot of tissue, causing localized pain and stiffness and/or referring that pain down nerve pathways to other areas of the body. When a needle is inserted into a trigger point, the tissue responds with a twitch reflex as the muscle attempts to push the "intruder" out. This new motion can force the muscle to relax, essentially undoing the knot that's causing you so much misery.

Because trigger points can play major roles in such a wide range of condition, dry needling therapy can serve as an extraordinarily versatile healing modality. Applying this technique to the right trigger points can help relieve the discomfort of:

• Headaches
• Neck pain
• Shoulder pain
• Shin splints
• Golfer's or tennis elbow
• Sciatica and other leg neuropathies
• Low back pain

What to Expect From Our Dry Needling Therapy

Although the actual insertion of the needles doesn't usually cause pain, you may experience a cramp-like or aching sensation as the trigger point reacts to it. This is to be expected -- in fact, it's a positive sign that the technique is working and that you're on your way to significant relief. You may have some mild soreness or bruising afterward, but this can be eased with some moist heat, gentle massaging of the area, and plenty of water intake. Some patients also feel somewhat giggly, tired, or "out of it" as a side effect of their treatment, but this should fade within an hour or two. Our Louisville chiropractor may prescribe this form of care as part of a holistic program that also includes chiropractic adjustment, ultrasound, electrical stimulation and therapeutic exercises.

Schedule an Appointment with our Louisville Chiropractor

Could dry needling therapy be the key to restoring your comfort? Find out today by scheduling a consultation with our Louisville chiropractor at highland Chiropractic. Call 502-454-5000 today!