DRY NEEDLING
Please note: This treatment is Only offered at my Vancouver, Washington location.
Intramuscular needling to decrease pain, relieve muscle tension, improve mobility, and stimulate tissue repair
I’m thrilled to offer dry needling (aka intramuscular needling) as part of your treatment plan at my Vancouver, Washington location. Dry needling is one of the most effective techniques we have available in physical therapy to help improve mobility, facilitate recovery, and alleviate pain.
Dry Needling uses a thin, sterile, single-use needle to penetrate the skin and directly target the muscles and connective tissue underneath for healing and repair.
This is a safe and effective way to treat injuries and manage pain, so that you can get back to doing what you love ASAP.
I've been trained and certified in dry needling through Kinetacore since 2013, bringing over a decade of specialized experience to your treatment. Additionally, I also am endorsed to perform dry needling by the Washington state department of health. Beyond extensive clinical experience, I've also contributed to the field by teaching dry needling in doctoral physical therapy programs and conducting research on its effectiveness for treating various orthopedic injuries. This combination of extensive hands-on experience, educational expertise, and research background ensures you receive the safest evidence-based care.
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Dry needling is a targeted treatment using sterile, single use monofilament needles inserted into specific muscle and connective tissues to decrease pain, stimulate a healing response, and increase tissue mobility.
This is also known as “Intramuscular needling,” and is paired with other physical therapy interventions, such as manual therapy and exercise, to achieve best results.
According to RCW.18.74.020, "Dry needling is a skilled intervention that uses a single-use, sterile filiform needle to penetrate the skin and stimulate underlying myofascial trigger points and connective and muscular tissues for the evaluation and management of neuromusculoskeletal pain and movement impairments. Intramuscular needling requires an examination and diagnosis. It does not include needle retention without stimulation or the simulation of auricular (ear) and distal (not local to the area being treated) points."
Dry needling is a skilled physical therapy treatment that should only be performed by a certified provider with an endorsement in Washington state (that’s me!)
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There are many benefits to receiving dry needling, which include:
Pain relief
Improved muscle activation
Increased circulation for tissue healing
Decreased muscle tension
Increased range of motion
Improved muscular force production
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Research has demonstrated that serious adverse events from dry needling are VERY rare. However, nothing is totally risk-free— here are the some of the risks associate with dry needling:
Pain/ discomfort during and after treatment
Soreness and bruising
Bleeding
Adverse reactions (dizziness, faintness, allergic response)
Infection
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Dry needling targets myofascial trigger points, muscular tissue, and connective tissue specifically.
Physical therapists practicing dry needling are NOT trained in the traditional Chinese medicine practice of acupuncture or moving qi along energy meridians in the body (unless they hold a separate acupuncture license).
Acupuncture is further defined in RCW 18.06.010 as "'Acupuncture and Eastern medicine' means a health care service utilizing acupuncture or Eastern medicine diagnosis and treatment to promote health and treat organic or functional disorders, which includes a variety of traditional and modern acupuncture and Eastern medicine therapeutic treatments, such as the practice of acupuncture techniques and herbal medicine to maintain and promote wellness, prevent, manage, and reduce pain, and treat substance use disorder."
If you are currently working with an acupuncturist or eastern medicine provider, I will make an effort to coordinate care with that provider to prevent conflict or duplication of services (with your permission, of course).