Stimulate your immune system to heal you with dry needling<\/h2>\n

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     Dry needling <\/big>has become a go to treatment for stubborn trigger points and muscle conditions. The process is pretty simple: locate the target tissue and attack it with a thin acupuncture needle (5-10 acupuncture needles can fit inside the mouth of a typical hypodermic needle).  In the case of trigger points, sometimes the muscle that is being treated will twitch or jump, this is a sign of trigger point release. <\/p>\n

     When treating <\/big> more chronic conditions like tennis elbow or piriformis pain, it is not as common to get the twitch response.   Needle stimulation causes tissue relaxation and a return to its resting length, which, in turn, will allow proper blood flow, restore proper pH, and inhibit continuous inflammation. (2)  Just inserting the needle into the body can provide enough stimulation to release natural opioid like chemicals to help kill pain (2).<\/p>\n

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Trigger points (2):<\/h5>\n

Decrease muscle strength and flexibility<\/strong><\/p>\n

Encourage continued muscle contraction<\/strong><\/p>\n

Increase surrounding tissue acidity<\/strong><\/p>\n

Reduce blood flow<\/strong><\/p>\n

Decrease oxygen levels<\/strong><\/p>\n

Contribute to an increase in inflammatory chemicals<\/strong><\/p>\n

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    Trigger points are created<\/big> by <\/big>activities that require repetitive, continuous muscle use (ex. poor posture is notorious for creating trigger points in the upper shoulders and around the shoulder blade) and\/or by trauma. See the definition of a trigger point to the right. When present, they prevent full muscle lengthening, thereby limiting range of motion, and weakening the muscle. (1)<\/p>\n

     All of that translates <\/big> to pain and dysfunction for you. Sometimes trigger points can go away on their own, but most times they don\u2019t. They can be the unexpected driver of a wide variety of pain and dysfunction in your body because while a trigger point will create pain in it’s immediate vicinity, it also refers pain to other areas of the body. That’s what makes these guys so tricky, the pain going down your arm could actually be coming from a trigger point underneath your shoulder blade. Luckily, extensive research has been done by Drs. Janet Travell and David Simons to elucidate these referral patterns. To see some of these click here.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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