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What is Dry Needling?

Story by Amy Passaretti Photos by Kenneth Boone

ry needling is a relatively new technique utilized by physical therapists to help combat inflammation and pain, and it is now available in Elmore County. Brent Vinson, facility director and physical therapist at Phoenix Rehab in Wetumpka, has practiced dry needling for about a year and a half, which he incorporates as a complement to patients’ routine treatment plans. “It’s not necessarily a new service in the physical therapy world, but it’s becoming more prevalent,” said Vinson. “The needles you use are monofilament needles similar to acupuncture needles. The difference is acupuncture is based off Chinese medicine, and dry needling is rooted in neuroscience.”

The purpose of dry needling is to target specific trigger points to treat inflammation and pain through the insertion of a very small needle directly into an isolated affected muscle or nerve. In the areas where a patient has pain, he or she will often find inflammation, edema, muscle guarding, increased electrical activity, decreased blood flow and adhesions to soft tissue.

“Anatomically, we know what’s below the skin, and we’re needling into the skin to create a reaction in the body. Blood flow increases in the targeted area, bringing white blood cells and D

proteins to promote the healing process,” said Vinson.

As a result, the muscle should relax and pain should decrease. This, in turn, creates a local, segmental and systemic affect on the body. It impacts the nervous system and musculoskeletal system, he explained.

“It creates a full-body effect. People with chronic pain are often tense and their nervous systems are over-stimulated. If you decrease that stimulus, it will affect hormones, brain and sleep,” he said. “I’ve had patients tell me they got the best sleep they’ve had in years after dry needling.”

Currently, dry needling also is being used as an alternative to opioid use in pain management. “If you can decrease pain, there is less need for medication and treatments, which in turn, is better for our bodies and allows them to function better. It could improve a patient’s quality of life,” said Vinson.

Dry needling is a fairly new treatment technique, which some insurance companies don’t cover for patients. As a result, it could be provided as a cash-based service or included as part of treatment plans for existing patients.

“It’s not that it’s controversial, but some insurance companies just haven’t caught up,” said Vinson.

Alabama is one of the rare states that still

Needles target specific affected muscles or nerves to treat inflammation and pain

requires a referral to treat physical therapy patients, and Vinson said he performs a full evaluation on everyone who is sent his way.

Very rarely is dry needling a one-time treatment, and the frequency and duration is patient specific.

“We dose needling based on the individual and the need of the patient,” said Vinson. “It’s all about the technique. You can leave the needle in the tissue from a few seconds to a few minutes, but I like to insert the needle and pull out. This way I can palpate the tissue for a response without a needle in the way.

Also, different needle lengths are used depending on the area of the body and tissue being targeted. For example, shorter needles are used in the neck area and up, while longer needles may be used in the thigh area, as the muscles or nerves are likely deeper.

“If the tissue and nerve is deep, you can also needle repeatedly when the needle is in there to really stimulate the tissue,” Vinson said. “Or you may want to needle the nerve’s origin, which could be a completely different location in the body.”

Dry needling is a two-step process with the immediate relaxation of muscles and tightness, followed by an immune system response that triggers blood flow to the area to heal damaged tissue.

This technique could treat traditional physical therapy symptoms, such as headache symptoms, joint pain, concussions, plantar fasciitis, sports recovery and more.

After treatment, it’s recommended that patients continue moving, stretching and drinking plenty of water. Dry needling should not be painful but could create a similar feeling of delayed onset soreness after a workout.

It’s a way to educate patients on why they’re hurting and to help them gain control of their symptoms, Vinson said.

“If you can improve pain and overall mobility, you create a good cycle for your body,” he added. Vinson was trained over a three-day intensive course to become certified in the technique of dry needling after he researched its benefits for about two years to ensure it would be beneficial to patients.

“I wanted to make sure this wasn’t just a fad,” he said. “But it’s really changed the way I look at patient injury and patient care.”

For more information about dry needling, contact Vinson at 334-478-3543.

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