Dry needling is a process that involves insertion of dry needles into the muscle fibers that are causing stiffness and pain in joints and muscles. This procedure is less painful and more effective than conservative treatment methods when it comes to treating muscular stiffness and pain.
Dry needling is a modern technique, administered by trained and skilled therapists who insert stainless steel needle (monofilament) into specific points of a muscle to release pain and stiffness in joints and muscles. The needles then remain in the skin for a specific period of time, determined by the trained therapist.
There is a specific band of muscle fiber that, for any reason, can obstruct the functioning of muscles and induce pain to disrupt the activities of a patient. In medicine, this band of muscle fibers is called “muscle trigger point”. In dry needling, the needles target these trigger points in order to promote normal blood flow that helps reduce pain and stiffness in the muscles to a considerable amount.
The dry needling technique is helpful for the treatment of a broad range of muscular conditions. At American Hospital Dubai, we use this method to treat the following conditions on regular basis:
• Muscle Spasm: Muscle spasm is characterized by a sudden contraction in the muscle that causes stabbing pain. This disorder usually occurs after a stressful activity like exercise, weight lifting, or sports. Muscle spasm can effectively be treated with dry needling. The physiotherapists insert filiform needles into the trigger points to break the spasm and relax the muscle.
• Bell’s palsy: Bell’s palsy refers to the paralysis on one side of the face that affects the voluntary control of that side of the face. This condition is accompanied by drooling, loss of lip and tongue control on that side, and a bit of loss of control over eyelid movement. This condition is caused by palsy in the facial nerve due to weakness in the body. Dry needling has proven effective in the treatment of this muscular disorder.
• TMJ Disorders: Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) is a joint located between the skull and mandible that helps in the movement of jaws. When developed a TMJ disorder, it restricts the movement of a jaw, and affects eating and speaking abilities. To treat this disorder, doctors may insert the filiform needles into pterygoid muscles located in the jaw that helps in chewing the food. This process may reduce pain and inflammation in the TMJ and relieve the pain.
• Tension Headache: A tension headache is the most common type of headache it can cause mild, moderate, or intense pain behind your eyes and in your head and neck. some people say that a tension headache feels like a tight band around their forehead. Dry needling has proven effective in the treatment of tension headache.
• Frozen Shoulder: also known as adhesive capsulitis, is a condition characterized by stiffness and pain in your shoulder joint. Dry needling has proven effective in the treatment of this problem by reducing the pain and increasing the range of motion.
Here’s a list of healthy practices the patient is advised to follow after dry needling:
• Drink plenty of water after the treatment can help achieve good results. The elevated amount of water intake reduces the chances of soreness after the treatment.
• The use of a hot towel at the treated points can decrease soreness.
• Avoid cold remedies to reduce soreness.
• Avoid physical exertion for some time.
• Massage at the points may help reduce soreness.
Dry needling has become a preferred choice for the treatment of any muscle disorders because of the following reasons:
• Provides relief from stiffness and pain in muscles
• Helps in the treatment of sports injuries for athletes
• Helps in the treatment of headache problems
• Helps in the treatment of neck and back pain
• As no medication is involved in this technique, there’s little or no risk of developing any allergic side effects
The board-certified physiotherapists at American Hospital Dubai are experts at applying advanced techniques, including dry needling, to treat a range of muscle disorders that causes little or no pain and offers quick recovery with instant results. If you are experiencing pain in the jaw muscles, or have been diagnosed with Bell’s palsy or muscle spasm then schedule an appointment with the region’s leading Physicians and Physiotherapists for consultation or outpatient therapy services, by using online booking form below.
