Standing for long periods? Sitting at a desk all day? Repeatedly bending over to pick things up? Poor posture? So many different strains on the body can lead to tension in a multitude of places, like the knots that most commonly arise in the shoulders, tension in the low back or hips, or the feeling of needing a muscle massaged, but just for a minute to help you relax. You’re not alone!
Myofascial pain is a very common pain related to muscles and/or fascia, usually presenting itself in the form of a myofascial trigger point. As we all know, these trigger points are localized, highly irritable, palpable taut bands of muscle fibers. Epidemiologic studies within the U.S. show that between 30% and 85% of primary care and pain clinic patients’ primary source of pain is due to myofascial trigger points. A similar percentage was found among patients consulting with a neurologist due to musculoskeletal pain.
What is Dry Needling? Dry needling, also known as trigger point dry needling and intramuscular stimulation, is a pseudoscientific technique used by various healthcare practitioners, including physical therapists, physicians, and chiropractors, among others. A thin monofilament needle penetrates the skin and treats underlying muscular trigger points for the management of neuro-musculoskeletal pain and movement impairments.
So how exactly do trigger points affect us? The shortening of muscle fibers can restrict blood flow within the muscles, reducing recovery. The taut fibers, if within the paraspinal muscles, can lead to disc compression, neuroforaminal narrowing, or direct pressure on nerve roots. If found in the suboccipital muscles at the base of the skull, it can be the root cause of tension headaches. If left untreated for an extended period, the chronicity of the condition can lead to more permanent function changes, in turn causing muscular compensation and abnormal movement patterns.
While the responsiveness to the treatment depends upon each individual’s severity and chronicity, many patients experience reduction in pain after just one dry needling session. With the utilization of dry needling, we can more effectively reduce dysfunctional muscle fibers. Our primary objective is to regain elasticity in the muscle. With restored proper function, we allow for a more full range of motion and better circulation within the muscles, which leads to improved healing of many conditions, acute or chronic. The usage of dry needling, while proven to be successful as a standalone therapy, has been shown to be more beneficial when coupled with other therapeutic modalities. We like to combine therapies such as electric stimulation, exercises/stretches, traction and dry needling with the chiropractic adjustments.
Our Mission: Dr. Cole Bergeson’s mission at Landmark Chiropractic is to provide thorough individualized chiropractic care to all patients looking to optimize their health.
