Trigger Point Acupuncture

Trigger Point Acupuncture, also known as Dry Needling in Western medicine, is a specialized form of acupuncture that is used to relieve pain syndromes.

Dry Needling is in fact acupuncture as performed from a Western medical standpoint. It is typically provided by physical therapists with only 50 hours of continuing education in acupuncture dry needling.

Chiropractors can take a 100-hour course to get certified to practice acupuncture with the full scope of acupuncture available to them with extremely minimal training.

In contrast, Licensed Acupuncturists and Acupuncture Physicians have upwards of 3000 hours of training in acupuncture needling.

You will get better results when dry needling is performed by a fully licensed acupuncturist.

The combination of muscles and connective tissue in our bodies is known as “myofascia.” When it is strained through injury, chronic tension, postural imbalance or repetitive strain, it develops tight, tender points known as “trigger points.” As long as these trigger points remain activated, you will have pain and restricted movement.

Common syndromes that involve active trigger points include rotator cuff injuries, sciatica, neck, back and shoulder pain, hip pain, leg and foot pain, as well as headaches.

Less well-known is the fact that is often used as well to relieve internal symptoms such as acid reflux, digestive pain, and infertility.

Acupuncture locates and releases all the trigger points involved in your pain syndrome - even if they are found at some distance from where you feel the pain.

Acupuncture trigger point release is a distinct technique with its own unique sensation, It causes a twitching sensation in the affected muscle that immediately releases the tension there. After the treatment it is typical to feel a characteristic “soreness” in the treated areas for about 24 hours. Yet, it is common to get immediate relief from the myofascial pain and tension which is often felt right away.

It is an extremely effective way to quickly relieve pain related to acute or chronic muscular injury or tension.

The release of trigger points with acupuncture will make physical therapy and other forms of treatment more successful in rehabilitating an injury.

Acupuncturists treat trigger points while treating the whole person. In this way, the healing is more complete and effective than with typical dry needling approaches that have been added on to physical therapy practice as an adjunct technique.