At CJ Physical Therapy and Pilates in Portsmouth, NH, our goal is to help you live a pain-free life without pain pills or invasive procedures.
Release the muscle tension and trigger points that are keeping your pain cycle going, without pain pills or invasive procedures.
UNDERSTANDING DRY NEEDLING
What Is Dry Needling?
Trigger Point Dry Needling is one of several strategies we use to treat muscles that are extremely tense and in spasm. A muscle in constant spasm reduces its own blood flow, decreases oxygen delivery, and over time can produce fibrotic, unhealthy tissue (scarring).
When a physical therapist inserts a very thin needle into a knotted up muscle, it creates a local twitch reflex. Research shows this doesn’t just relax the muscle. It breaks up the pain cycle by improving blood flow and oxygen to the area, helping to reduce and normalize inflammation so healing can actually take place.
Dry needling isn’t necessary for everyone, so it’s worth understanding what it is, and when it’s the right tool, before deciding if it’s right for you.
WHERE DRY NEEDLING HELPS
Common Issues We Treat With It
- Muscles in spasm or constant tension that won’t release with stretching alone
- Trigger points contributing to knee, shoulder, hip, or back pain
- Muscle guarding that’s blocking progress in a movement based program
- Chronic tightness that keeps returning despite regular stretching
- Tension that’s limiting stride length, flexibility, or standing tolerance
If any of this sounds familiar, dry needling may be a useful first step, not a fix on its own, but a way to clear the path for the movement work that actually resolves the problem.
OUR APPROACH
Why Dry Needling Alone Isn’t the Answer
Dry needling can work wonders to relax your muscles. But those muscles are just going to get tense and damaged again if the underlying movement dysfunction causing them to tighten up isn’t also addressed. It’s not a quick fix, and we don’t treat it like one.
Breaking the Cycle First
For some people, muscles are in such a persistent spasm that they aren’t able to begin a physical therapy or movement regimen until that cycle is broken. In these cases, dry needling is the first step, a “helper” that relaxes the muscle enough to make the real corrective work possible.
Then Building Lasting Change
Once the muscle is responsive again, dry needling gets integrated with physical therapy treatment and strengthening work like Pilates. This is where the lasting change actually happens, correcting the movement patterns that caused the muscle to tighten up in the first place.
Is It Uncomfortable?
It can be, for some people, while others feel no real pain at all. It’s not dangerous, and it has lasting positive effects when it’s used in conjunction with hands-on physical therapy under the direction of a specialist, not as a standalone treatment.
“After two back surgeries in my 20s and a new hip at 58, I figured I was lucky just to be walking. Dry needling has transformed the way I move. I’m more flexible. My walking stride has more length and I can stand longer.” – John
Related Reading
Dry needling often comes up as part of treating these related conditions:
- The Top Four Benefits of Orthopedic Dry Needling and Why You Should Consider It
- Cortisone Shots for Knee Pain? Why You Should Think Twice
- Why You Should Avoid a Cortisone Shot in Your Knee (And What to Do Instead)
Have Questions About Dry Needling?
We offer free Discovery Sessions right here in Portsmouth, giving you the chance to ask any questions you have. It’s a completely free, no-obligation appointment that gives you everything you need to make the best decision for your health.
