What is Dry Needling, and Can it Help with Pain?

Our motto at Clear Lake Physical Therapy and Rehab Specialists (CLPTRS) is “Restoring Human Performance.” Everything we do centers on that goal. Sports injuries, work injuries, recovering from an accident, and post-op therapy are all reasons for receiving physical therapy. But what if you have day-to-day aches and pains that just won’t relent?

Dry needling is a service we offer at our Turtle Lake location. Tessa Traynor, DPT, is CLPTRS’s dry needling expert. And it can be a remarkably effective way to relieve pain. But what is it? How does it work? Let us tell you!

Dry needling is a well-researched technique to relieve pain and muscle tension. It involves a thin filiform needle. The needle penetrates the skin and stimulates underlying myofascial trigger points and muscular and connective tissues.

Sometimes when people hear ‘dry needling’ they think ‘acupuncture.’ While dry needling uses the same needles as acupuncture, the primary difference lies in their philosophies. Acupuncture, rooted in traditional Chinese medicine, promotes energy flow. Dry needling zeroes in on trigger points within muscles, akin to ‘muscle knots.’ Tessa emphasizes that dry needling also promotes increased blood flow to the targeted tissue, expediting the healing process.

So how does dry needling benefit patients? Tessa explains, “Dry needling benefits patients by targeting trigger points within muscles that cause increased pain.” By reducing tension in the muscles and triggering the inflammatory process, dry needling facilitates healing by promoting blood flow and delivering essential nutrients to the affected areas. The result is akin to a deep tissue massage, but with a quicker and more effective process.

People seek dry needling primarily for pain relief, especially when it originates from muscular sources. Tessa notes that she commonly treats conditions such as tennis elbow, neck pain targeting the upper trapezius muscle, low back pain, and hip pain.

Tessa’s interest in dry needling grew during her education at UW-La Crosse, where the technique was integrated into her training. “I became interested after feeling the effects on myself,” she shares. The personal experience of tension relief fueled her desire to provide the same relief to her future patients. Tessa began practicing dry needling in August 2023. Her joy in providing this service is evident in the positive responses from patients. “Most of my patients respond well after a few sessions,” she notes.

With a foundation in Western medicine principles, Tessa’s expertise in dry needling offers patients a path to faster and more effective relief, unlocking the body’s innate healing capabilities. If you would like to know more about dry needling and what it might do for your chronic pain, we encourage you to call our Turtle Lake office at 715-986-4103.