Dry needle therapy is a treatment method performed by inserting very thin acupuncture needles of different lengths into soft tissues, especially muscles.
Is Any Medicine Used in Dry Needle Treatment?
Local injection It can be done in two ways as 'wet needle' or 'dry needle' treatment. In wet needle treatment, drugs such as corticosteroids, anesthetics or botox are injected into the body using a hollow needle. On the other hand, 'dry needle' is performed with the needles used in acupuncture practice without using any medication.
What Does Dry Needle Treatment Do?
Dry needle treatment is typically It is used in the treatment of muscles, ligaments, tendons, subcutaneous fascia, scar tissue and peripheral nerves in various musculoskeletal pain syndromes. Dry needle therapy, considering the international literature, especially the US national physical therapy associations have narrowed the definition of dry needle. It is defined as intramuscular application applied to tense muscle bands called trigger points. More specifically, these professional organizations have equated dry needle therapy with “intramuscular manual therapy” or “trigger point dry needle.” Undoubtedly, 'intramuscular manual therapy' and 'trigger point dry needle' are different application methods of dry needle, but they should not be used synonymously. Literature information, including randomized controlled studies, supports the use of dry needle treatment in areas without trigger points in order to reduce all kinds of pain and disability of the musculoskeletal system, in addition to trigger points in muscle tissue.
Is Dry Needle Treatment Only Applied to Intramuscular Trigger Points?
In the first scientific article published in a peer-reviewed journal on dry needle treatment, dry needle is not limited to trigger points only. It is applied to all kinds of connective tissues of the musculoskeletal system such as tendons, tendon-bone junction points, scars, ligaments and bones. In 1977, Melzack et al.'s study showed that trigger points are tightly connected to the nervous system and muscular system, and that stimulation of certain nerves or tissues with dry needle therapy sends more input to the central nervous system and closes the pain gates. According to a more recent study titled "Treatment of Myofascial Pain Syndrome", the most sensitive nerve endings are encountered by rapidly inserting and removing a cone-shaped dry needle. Applying high pressure or mechanical stimulation with a dry needle causes inflammation of very sensitive nerve endings and pain receptors within the muscle. It creates a local twitch response and sends a strong stimulus to the trigger point, thus relieving the pain. Interestingly, with dry needle treatment applied to the painful muscle, a local twitch response is also obtained in the opposite side muscle. Dry needle therapy stimulates sensitive nerve endings at the trigger point and provides sensory input to the spinal cord, causing the local twitch response that occurs with the spinal reflex. Receiving a bilateral twitch response during unilateral dry injection indicates that the problem is not only caused by peripheral muscles but also an abnormality in the central nervous system.
Therefore, in the context of myofascial pain syndromes, dry needles are likely to come into contact with both muscle and connective tissue. A dry needle inserted into the trigger point reduces pain by touching small nerve endings. Dry needle should cover not only the trigger point but also muscle, nerve and connective tissue.
Biomechanical, Chemical, Endocrinological and Vascular Effects of Dry Needle
Biomechanical aspects of dry needle treatment Its chemical and vascular effects are well documented in both superficial (extramuscular) and deep intramuscular administration. It is observed that microcirculation increases in treatments applied to non-muscle areas. When applied directly to the muscle, the increase in blood flow to the muscle has been demonstrated with laser Doppler flowmetry. Decreased microcirculation due to decreased blood flow is closely related to pain. Dry needle therapy increases beta-endorphin levels. There are many types of endorphins; Beta endorphin is a natural painkiller produced by the body itself. With dry needle treatment, cortisone levels also decrease.
In which diseases is Dry Needle Treatment Used?
- Joint Pain
- Fibromyalgia
- Neck, back and waist pains
- Pains due to poor posture
- Adductor tendon init (groin traction)
- Neck and lumbar disc herniation
- Nerve compression such as carpal tunnel syndrome
- Neuropathic pain
- Muscle rheumatism (myofascial pain) syndrome)
- Osteoarthritis
- Shoulder impingement syndrome
- Muscle tendon problems such as tennis elbow, golfer's elbow
- Arm and leg pain
- Shoulder pain
- Elbow pain
- Foot pain
- Headache
- Muscle strains
- Muscle knots
- All kinds of joint pain, especially knee pain
- Heel spur
- Heel pain
- Knee arthritis
- Hip arthritis
- Shoulder muscle tears
- Meniscus tear
- Priformis syndrome
- Fibrositis
- Shoulder impingment syndrome (shoulder impingement syndrome)
- Muscle cramps
- Neck straightening
- Waist flattening
- Spine curvatures
- Posture Disorders
- Sprained waist
- Facet joint syndrome
- Waist stiffness
- Neck stiffness
- Sciatica pain (sciatica)
- Sports injuries and rehabilitation
- Post-traumatic spine pain
- Hip pain
How is Dry Needle Treatment Done?
It is applied as superficial dry needle or deep dry needle. The doctor fixes the problematic area with his hand and inserts the needle. The number of needles used in treatment varies depending on the patient's condition. Once the needle is inserted into the tissue, it remains in place for 5 minutes to 30 minutes. After the procedure is completed, the needles are removed and the patient returns to his daily life.
Are There Any Side Effects of Dry Needle Treatment?
Since no medication is used in dry needle treatment, side effects such as allergic reactions and drug interactions can occur. not seen. In dry needle treatment, the practitioner should always be a physician.
How Many Sessions Does Dry Needle Treatment Take?
Dry needle treatment is decided after a detailed functional examination. It may take between 3-10 sessions. If the patient's complaint is new-onset, that is, it has started acutely, 3 sessions of treatment are sufficient. But if it is chronic, that is, if it has been present for more than 6 weeks, it may take up to 10 sessions. Treatments such as manual therapy, neural therapy, exercise, kinesio pain tape When applied together with AVI methods, the number of sessions decreases and the success increases. The age of the patient and the presence of other existing diseases are other factors that affect the number of sessions.
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