Pain management is an important facet of medical care these days. Many of the protocols depend on pharmaceutical drugs. Those who are afraid of getting hooked on prescription medication, or others who find drugs an incomplete answer, may want to investigate dry needling Pennsylvania clinic therapy. This therapy has slowly gained in popularity since its beginnings over forty years ago.
The therapy itself is simple, although the subject is complex, with its own terminology and philosophy. Think of it as a form of acupuncture, in which needles are inserted through the skin. However, the target is compacted muscles tissue rather than energy-releasing points. Trigger points are stimulated, as well, to affect muscles or tendons that need to relax and stretch to normal positions.
The needle used can be either solid - like an acupuncture needle - or hollow. Hollow ones are used to inject local anesthetic, corticosteroids, or other liquids into a precise spot that the therapist wants to affect. The needle elicits a desired response from a muscle; its use as an instrument for injections is of secondary importance.
Muscles can get 'knots', or dense areas of contraction, which can cause pain at the site of the knot or over an entire area of the body. Massage is one way to get these knots to relax and release. However, if the problem is in a deep layer of tissue, manual manipulation may not be enough to relieve soreness and tension.
With a needle, a skillful therapist can reach deeper into tissues than massage can go. The instrument allows precise stimulation, which can release a knotted muscle. Both athletes and sedentary patients experience an increase in muscle tone and flexibility with needling. As muscles relax, the tissue also lengthens and normal movement may be restored.
Insertion of the needles through the skin is usually painless. The stimulation of muscle tissue may result in cramping, as nerve endings react. Minor bruising and soreness can result from treatment. Ice packs or soaking in Epsom salt baths usually brings relief. Mild physical activity is often recommended after treatments, although anything heavy or strenuous should be avoided.
Two to four treatments are the usual course, although of course cases vary. Many therapists who work with sports injuries incorporate dry needling in their practices. They like the safety of this protocol, as well as its effectiveness and the rapid relief it can offer. In contrast to intestinal complications and possible addiction that conventional pain killers may cause, the side effects here are usually no more than temporary fatigue and soreness.
Check for clinics in your area that practice this therapy, which has some similarities to acupuncture but which is based on a different philosophy. The clinicians will be able to explain the program and advise people on whether their condition warrants this treatment. Dry needling holds out hope to those who suffer chronic back pain, for instance, or who have suffered an injury while exercising. It definitely is worth trying this mechanical way to relief and recovery before more extreme methods, like surgery, are considered.
The therapy itself is simple, although the subject is complex, with its own terminology and philosophy. Think of it as a form of acupuncture, in which needles are inserted through the skin. However, the target is compacted muscles tissue rather than energy-releasing points. Trigger points are stimulated, as well, to affect muscles or tendons that need to relax and stretch to normal positions.
The needle used can be either solid - like an acupuncture needle - or hollow. Hollow ones are used to inject local anesthetic, corticosteroids, or other liquids into a precise spot that the therapist wants to affect. The needle elicits a desired response from a muscle; its use as an instrument for injections is of secondary importance.
Muscles can get 'knots', or dense areas of contraction, which can cause pain at the site of the knot or over an entire area of the body. Massage is one way to get these knots to relax and release. However, if the problem is in a deep layer of tissue, manual manipulation may not be enough to relieve soreness and tension.
With a needle, a skillful therapist can reach deeper into tissues than massage can go. The instrument allows precise stimulation, which can release a knotted muscle. Both athletes and sedentary patients experience an increase in muscle tone and flexibility with needling. As muscles relax, the tissue also lengthens and normal movement may be restored.
Insertion of the needles through the skin is usually painless. The stimulation of muscle tissue may result in cramping, as nerve endings react. Minor bruising and soreness can result from treatment. Ice packs or soaking in Epsom salt baths usually brings relief. Mild physical activity is often recommended after treatments, although anything heavy or strenuous should be avoided.
Two to four treatments are the usual course, although of course cases vary. Many therapists who work with sports injuries incorporate dry needling in their practices. They like the safety of this protocol, as well as its effectiveness and the rapid relief it can offer. In contrast to intestinal complications and possible addiction that conventional pain killers may cause, the side effects here are usually no more than temporary fatigue and soreness.
Check for clinics in your area that practice this therapy, which has some similarities to acupuncture but which is based on a different philosophy. The clinicians will be able to explain the program and advise people on whether their condition warrants this treatment. Dry needling holds out hope to those who suffer chronic back pain, for instance, or who have suffered an injury while exercising. It definitely is worth trying this mechanical way to relief and recovery before more extreme methods, like surgery, are considered.
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When searching for important information about dry needling Pennsylvania patients should take a tour of our official website. All the related facts about this therapy can be reviewed on this page at http://www.primalphysicaltherapy.com.
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