Dryneedling offers new avenue for pain management and relief

Here’s a Good Point

Dryneedling offers new avenue for pain management and relief

By Elise Riley W 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 acupuncturists use, but the thought processes with philosophy of treatment is dryneedling,” Harris different,” said Elise Harris, said. “There’s a school DPT, a physical therapist of thought, trigger point with The CORE Institute. therapy, where if you “Acupuncture includes penetrate an area it more of an eastern allows an area to, more medicine philosophy — or less, relax. By that energy lines, meridians — it’s a more global Elise Harris, PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS stimulation, almost like an injury, we’re approach. We use our increasing blood flow and knowledge of anatomy and the body restarting the healing process. There’s to target anatomic structures, where a physiological change that happens to it’s a tight area in the muscle or an area help improve blood flow.” where a tendon attaches to a bone.” POSITIVE RESULTS VARIETY OF THERAPIES Harris said that she’s had success

While the number of sessions performing dryneedling on patients necessary varies by the patient who have osteoarthritis, back pain, and the injury, dryneedling neck pain, headaches and tendonitis. appointments generally last an Combined with their physical therapy hour or less and the needles and monitored exercise, those patients remain applied for only 20 to 30 saw positive results within four to six minutes. The procedure is one of weeks. several therapies that includes “While we would avoid using myofascial cupping, taping, dryneedling in an area where you’ve joint manipulation and joint recently had surgery, you can generally mobilization. needle any part of the body, head to toe, “There are several different at any age,” she said.