Dry Needling is a therapeutic technique used by trained healthcare professionals to alleviate muscle pain and tension. It involves the insertion of acupuncture needles into trigger points or knots within muscles, aiming to release tension, improve blood flow and reduce pain.
Acupuncturists have been using Dry Needling techniques for thousands of years. If you are receiving dry needling from a licensed Acupuncturist, you may hear them say Ashi point needling or Trigger Point needling. In Chinese Medicine, a painful point (also known as a trigger point) is referred to as an “Ashi point”. These points are areas on the body where the patient experiences pain or tenderness when pressure is applied. Practitioners of Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture use these points as diagnostic indicators and often target them with acupuncture or acupressure to alleviate discomfort and restore the flow if Qi (energy) in the body. A comprehensive evaluation based on traditional Chinese Medicine principles, will also be included in every dry needling treatment. If receiving dry needling from a physical therapist, the treatment focuses solely on muscular issues and does not involve the use of traditional meridians or energy flow concepts. It is often used as a complementary approach for pain management. Dry Needling performed by a physical therapist is not acupuncture.
