Community Sports and Therapy Center is pleased to announce that one of their physical therapists, Stacy Holland, PT and Assistant PT Director, is now offering dry needling services in our Coldwater location at Mercer Health. We will also be expanding this service in our Celina location beginning in early 2017.
Dry Needling is a specialized therapy technique in which a very fine filament needle is inserted through the skin and into tissue. This causes a micro lesion which helps break up shortened tissues, inhibiting reflexes from the nervous system, normalizing the inflammatory response, and assisting in decreasing pain. The mechanical and neuromuscular effect provides an environment that helps the body to self-heal, which ultimately decreases pain. Dry needling is NOT the same as acupuncture, but is based on modern scientific study by western medical practitioners of the musculoskeletal and neuromuscular systems.
“I was excited to learn dry needling techniques because it truly makes scientific sense on how the treatment promotes the healing of the human body, “stated Holland. “I feel as a therapist I need to have a wide variety of tools that can help improve function and pain of individuals we serve.”
What conditions can be treated? Dry needling is an effective treatment for many conditions of chronic pain with very few side effects. It is therefore a very effective means of addressing a wide range of acute and chronic conditions that cause pain or hinder mobility, and is suitable for treating multiple musculoskeletal dysfunctions, including, but not limited to: back and neck pain; hamstring problems; migraines and tension headaches; muscular tightness; ankle sprains; shin splints and calf strains; shoulder and scapular pain; tendonitis in various areas; and sporting injuries.
Is the procedure painful? Dry needling is a very safe and relaxing process. In some cases, a needle being inserted into a trigger point muscle can create a slight ache, but there is no sharp or excessive pain, and indeed many patients do not feel the needles being inserted at all. The fine filament needle is very thin, and is pushed through the skin versus cutting the skin, which helps reduce discomfort. Your physical therapist will strive to make your experience comfortable and therapeutic.
How will I feel after dry needling? This varies from person to person. Patients can experience decrease in symptoms, improvement in function, achiness, or soreness. The soreness, if present, may last 1-2 days. After a dry needling session, it may be that patients feel a little tired, but there are no lingering effects and people are able to continue with their day (including athletic performance) as normal. It is uncommon, but possible that treatment might increase your symptoms, but typically you will notice relief or improvement in symptoms. Inform your physical therapist so adjustments can be made to your treatment.
“There was an individual with chronic pain in her neck and shoulders to the point of where she would have her children massage her daily and she would have difficulty sleeping at night due to the pain. She had dry needling performed and in one session she had 95% relief of the chronic pain she was having,” stated Holland. “This individual continues to be pain free based on recent follow up conversation. She notes the decrease in pain has made her more energetic and improved her ability to accomplish more in a day.”
Scheduling is easy and can be done by contacting our Coldwater office at 419-678-5125. After the initial session, we work with each client to determine the best frequency of visits, whether that be weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, or even just a one-time session. We are here to help and want to provide you with the best patient experience possible. Please contact our offices for any questions or concerns you might have about the Dry Needling program at Mercer Health.