Dry Needling
A thin monofilament needle placed into a taut band of muscle to release a trigger point, used for the knots that keep reforming after hands-on work.
The needle is solid and thin, nothing is injected, and this is not acupuncture: the target is a specific taut band in the muscle, chosen from the exam.
A local twitch response is common and is a good sign. Soreness the next day is normal and usually smaller than the change in tone.
What it changes
- ✦Reaches trigger points hands cannot
- ✦Fast change in resting muscle tone
- ✦Pairs well with the loading block in the same week
Questions
Is this acupuncture?+
No. Same needle, different reasoning: this targets a specific muscle finding from the exam rather than a meridian.
Safety & what to expect
Post-protocol soreness for a day or two is the common effect. We screen for bleeding disorders, pregnancy, and needle phobia first, and this is always an option rather than a requirement.
More in Soft Tissue & Myofascial
Active Release Technique
Tension held on a named muscle while you move the joint through range, aimed at the adhesions limiting glide.
Instrument-Assisted Soft Tissue
Stainless steel instruments used along the muscle and fascia to find and work the restricted areas, commonly known by the Graston protocol.
Cupping
Suction cups applied over a muscle group, sometimes moved through range, to lift and decompress tissue that has become dense and sticky.