Dry Needling Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

In short, almost everyone with a musculoskeletal condition! Dry needling works on both the local injured tissues and the central and peripheral nervous systems, accelerating the rate of recovery for countless diagnoses including: tendonitis, overuse injuries, scar tissue, headaches/migraines, sprains, strains, muscle spasms, muscle tightness, trigger points, chronic pain, arthritic pain, and nerve compression/entrapment.

Please read further to understand more about dry needling, and don’t hesitate to reach out if you have more questions.

Dry Needling is skilled technique performed by a certified physical therapist. Where sterile, individually packaged, single use for the management of neuromusculoskeletal pain and movement impairments. No medications are injected into your body, and no fluids are intentionally withdrawn.  This treatment may be combined with electrical stimulation with your consent.

While the needles used are similar, Dry Needling is Not Acupuncture.  Dry Needling is a modern treatment that relies upon western medicine principles, diagnoses, and published evidenced-based studies to be safe and effective.

From experience and the research; dry needling works best in the sub-acute to chronic phases of healing. Around 2 – 4 weeks onwards after an injury depending on the injury type. Some conditions require a longer wait time, so it is best to speak about that with your therapist.

Sessions most commonly occur at the clinic, but arrangements can be made for home sessions upon request. When performed at the clinic, a good faith promise is made to ensure that you will be the only patient in the clinic at that time and appropriate draping is guaranteed for modesty. 

Dry needling has opened up a whole new world; in that now physical therapists can directly target injured tissues such a myofascial trigger points, commonly referred to as “knots.” The “needle effect” can help to release those chronic trigger points as well as provide a number of other physiologic responses: from increased blood flow, alterations in the peripheral and central nervous systems, and reducing local chemical irritants all together can lead to a jump start to the healing process allowing you to move forward with reaching your personal goals.

Before any needles are inserted, an explanation of the rational, treatment plan, targeted tissues, and the possible sensations that can occur is provided. Patient questions are addressed as they arise. Needles are inserted after obtaining both written and verbal consent.

Once consent is given, the skin is disinfected with isopropyl alcohol pads and the gloved physical therapist taps the needle superficially in to the skin. Again, only with the patients consent, the needle is then guided carefully towards the target tissue. Depending on the treatment goals and an individual patient’s tolerance the needle may be manipulated and even paired with electrical stimulation for a more robust healing response.

Yes. In addition to meeting numerous requirements such as degree level, yeas of practice, and being licensed to practice PT in New Jersey; your therapist has completed a minimum of 80 hours of approved continuing education with the American Academy of Manipulative Therapy specifically to perform Dry Needling. Additionally, your therapists has completed the necessary requirements of maintaining dry needling privileges in the State of New Jersey by completing at least 10 additional hours of training for every 2 years after initial certification.