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By Robert Edwards


People who live with chronic pain find every day a trial. Those who pull a hamstring or sprain an ankle playing their favorite sport also find the days to recovery difficult. Dry needling Pennsylvania is a therapy designed to speed healing and offer pain relief. With this form of therapy, there is no fear of becoming dependent on prescription medication or suffering its side effects.

The therapy itself is simple, although the subject is complex, with its own terminology and philosophy. Think of it as a form of acupuncture, in which needles are inserted through the skin. However, the target is compacted muscles tissue rather than energy-releasing points. Trigger points are stimulated, as well, to affect muscles or tendons that need to relax and stretch to normal positions.

Solid needles are used, called filiform, unless injections of corticosteroids or other therapeutic substances are part of the treatment. That calls for hollow, hypodermic needles. Sometimes the instruments are acupuncture tools, but in needling they are often larger. The use of a needle allows the therapist to target specific areas of muscle tissue for stimulation or injection.

Muscles can contract and fail to release again. This instinctive reaction to potential injury - or sometimes to tension - is what is called 'knotting' by massage therapists. When muscles freeze like this, they can affect skeletal alignment and cause pain in their immediate area or in other parts of the body.

If manual manipulation (massage) is not able to release the knots, the use of properly placed needles can offer help. Torn ligaments and tendons can also be targeted to accelerate healing. Needling improves muscle tone and flexibility, too. The restoration of normal movement is a great benefit to those crippled with pain or injured in sports.

Most people don't feel the instruments passing through the skin. However, when the muscle itself is probed, there can be minor pain. This is generally in the form of cramping, as the muscle reacts to the stimulation. Soreness and bruising sometimes result, but these are usually not serious and easily relieved by soaking in an Epsom salts bath or applying ice to the area. Physical activity is generally good for recovery, although it should be light exercise rather than anything intense.

Two to four treatments are the usual course, although of course cases vary. Many therapists who work with sports injuries incorporate dry needling in their practices. They like the safety of this protocol, as well as its effectiveness and the rapid relief it can offer. In contrast to intestinal complications and possible addiction that conventional pain killers may cause, the side effects here are usually no more than temporary fatigue and soreness.

Many clinics in Pennsylvania offer this therapy. The therapists on staff will be able to explain the purpose of the treatment, as well as particulars of the technique. Needling holds promise for those who struggle with chronic pain, like a sore back, which can affect a person's whole quality of life. It also has applications in sports medicine and healing.




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