Is Dry Needling Right For You?
Common Conditions It Can Help Treat
At Empower Movement Physical Therapy, we believe healing happens best when your care is as personalized as your pain. One tool we often turn to when patients are dealing with stubborn tightness or nagging pain is dry needling. This service is truly a game-changer for many.
If you’ve heard about dry needling but aren’t sure if it’s right for you, keep reading. Below, we’ll walk through what it is, who it helps, and how it can support your recovery.
First, What Is Dry Needling?
Dry needling is a technique where a trained physical therapist inserts thin, sterile needles into trigger points. Trigger points are tight, sensitive knots in your muscles. The goal of dry needling is to release tension, increase blood flow, and help your nervous system “reset” pain signals.
It’s called “dry” because there’s no medication injected as the needle alone does the work.
Who Can Benefit from Dry Needling?
While it’s not for everyone, dry needling can be incredibly effective when used with targeted physical therapy. It’s especially helpful for people dealing with:
Chronic Pain
If you’ve been living with ongoing pain that hasn’t improved with stretching or massage, dry needling may help calm overactive pain signals and reduce muscle tension.
Common examples:
Low back pain
Neck pain
Shoulder pain
Hip pain
Tight or Overworked Muscles
Sometimes your muscles get “stuck” in a contracted state. Dry needling helps release those knots so you can move more freely and with less discomfort.
Think:
Desk-job neck tension i.e. “tech-neck”
Post-workout soreness that lingers a little too long
Sports or repetitive overuse injuries
Tension Headaches and Migraines
When headaches are triggered by tight muscles in your neck and upper back, dry needling can help relieve pressure and reduce frequency or intensity of flare-ups.
Sciatica or Nerve Irritation
Dry needling can calm irritated nerves by releasing tension in the surrounding muscle tissue, especially in cases where sciatica-like symptoms are caused by trigger points in the glutes or lower back.
Tendonitis and Repetitive Strain Injuries
Conditions like tennis elbow, plantar fasciitis, or rotator cuff tendonitis often come with muscle tension that makes healing harder. Dry needling helps relieve that tension so your body can recover faster.
Recovery from Surgery or Injury
After an injury (or surgery), surrounding muscles often tighten up to “protect” the area. While that’s a natural response, it can slow down your progress. Dry needling can help speed up recovery by restoring healthy muscle function.
Is Dry Needling Safe?
When performed by a licensed, trained provider (like the PTs at Empower Movement!), dry needling is a safe, effective tool. We use it carefully and strategically as part of your overall plan of care.
You might feel a quick twitch or dull ache during treatment and mild soreness for a day or so afterward, but many people feel relief shortly after their first session.
Not Sure If It’s for You?
We get it, dry needling sounds intense at first. But most patients are surprised by how manageable (and effective!) it is. And we’ll never push a treatment you’re not comfortable with. Everything we do is based on your body, your comfort, and your goals.
If you’re curious about whether dry needling could help with your pain or stiffness, just ask. We’re here to walk you through it, answer questions, and make sure your care feels supportive and not scary.
Ready to Feel the Relief?
→ Let’s find out if dry needling can help you move, feel, and heal better. Book a session or reach out to our team today. We’re here to empower your movement with or without the needles.