SPECIALTY SPOTLIGHT
Here’s a Good Point Dryneedling offers new avenue for pain management and relief
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By Elise Riley
hile many Eastern medical techniques or philosophies have mainstream appeal, there are some seemingly related techniques available for patients who prefer a more Western approach. Dryneedling is one such procedure. Part of a spectrum of therapies offered by The CORE Institute, some patients have found relief from pain and mobility issues.
IMMUNE RESPONSE
It might sound like acupuncture — and even uses the same needles as acupuncture — but dryneedling is less about energy and more about anatomy, physiology and the body’s immune response. “We use the same equipment that
thought processes with acupuncturists use, but the dryneedling,” Harris philosophy of treatment is said. “There’s a school different,” said Elise Harris, of thought, trigger point DPT, a physical therapist therapy, where if you with The CORE Institute. penetrate an area it “Acupuncture includes allows an area to, more more of an eastern or less, relax. By that medicine philosophy — stimulation, almost energy lines, meridians Elise Harris, PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS like an injury, we’re — it’s a more global increasing blood flow and approach. We use our restarting the healing process. There’s knowledge of anatomy and the body a physiological change that happens to to target anatomic structures, where help improve blood flow.” it’s a tight area in the muscle or an area where a tendon attaches to a bone.”
VARIETY OF THERAPIES
While the number of sessions necessary varies by the patient and the injury, dryneedling appointments generally last an hour or less and the needles remain applied for only 20 to 30 minutes. The procedure is one of several therapies that includes myofascial cupping, taping, joint manipulation and joint mobilization. “There are several different
POSITIVE RESULTS
Harris said that she’s had success performing dryneedling on patients who have osteoarthritis, back pain, neck pain, headaches and tendonitis. Combined with their physical therapy and monitored exercise, those patients saw positive results within four to six weeks. “While we would avoid using dryneedling in an area where you’ve recently had surgery, you can generally needle any part of the body, head to toe, at any age,” she said.
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