Needles in the medical world are often associated with administering a shot or vaccine. While many people think that needles can only cause pain, there are types of needles that can actually alleviate aches in your body.
Dry needling is a common physical therapy treatment used to reduce pain throughout the body. But what you may not know is that it’s only able to be performed by physical therapists in certain states. Is there dry needling near you?
Read on to learn about the ins and outs of dry needling, who can perform the treatment and how it differs from acupuncture. By the end, you’ll be able to determine how to find dry needling near you.
What is dry needling?
Dry needling is a physical therapy treatment that involves needles being inserted directly into a trigger point or muscle. The goal is for the muscle to contract around the needle and release the tension that’s causing you pain and reduced range of motion. Not only does it help with pain management and mobility, but it also increases your blood flow to speed up the healing process.
Dry needling can be used to alleviate a wide variety of conditions including:
- Back pain.
- Disc problems.
- Tendinitis.
- Neck pain.
- Elbow pain.
- Joint problems.
- Pelvic pain.
- TMJ disorder.
- Tension and cervicogenic headaches.
- Repetitive motion disorders.
4 benefits of dry needling
While the main reasons that people try dry needling are to alleviate pain and increase mobility, there are actually quite a few benefits to the technique for you to consider.
Here are four benefits of dry needling:
- Specific targets — Dry needling allows you to focus on the exact trigger points for your pain. The needles can target specific injured areas to get right to the source.
- Efficiency — If you have a busy schedule, then dry needling is perfect for you. A session usually lasts 30 minutes and doesn’t require preparation.
- Supplemental benefits — When partnered with other physical therapy treatments, like manual therapy techniques, dry needling can help maximize your pain management.
- Minimal invasiveness — Dry needling is a less invasive option than other potential pain management techniques, such as medications or injections.
Where can physical therapists perform dry needling near me?
It might surprise you to know that not every physical therapist is legally allowed to perform dry needling. The technique is often confused with acupuncture, which physical therapists are not licensed to perform. The similarities between the two have led to some states prohibiting physical therapists from practicing the dry needling technique.
The good news is that, as of 2023, dry needling can be performed by physical therapists in 38 states, plus Washington, D.C. In a 2020 survey of physical therapy clinics in the United States, more than half of the surveyed physical therapists said they offer dry needling at their clinics. If you don’t live in the states listed below, there is probably dry needling near you.
Physical therapists have been prohibited from performing dry needling in:
- California.
- Hawaii.
- New York.
- Oregon.
- Washington.
States that haven’t addressed physical therapists’ ability to perform dry needling:
- Connecticut.
- Michigan.
- Missouri.
- Pennsylvania.
- Massachusetts.
- Minnesota.
- Oklahoma.
Dry needling versus acupuncture
As we mentioned earlier, many people confuse dry needling with acupuncture. But even though they both involve needles, there are notable differences between the two.
Physical therapists and acupuncturists have different training programs that they are required to complete to perform their techniques.
It’s also important to note that they come from different roots. While dry needling is based on Western research and medicine, acupuncture comes from Chinese tradition.
One of the main differences between the two practices is that dry needling uses stimulation within the muscle to release the pain, while acupuncture focuses on the channel theory. That means that it relies on the connections throughout the body to enforce natural healing.
Alliance PTP can help you find a PT clinic that offers dry needling near you
Since it isn’t available nationwide, it can be frustrating to find a clinic near you that offers dry needling. But that’s where we come in.
At Alliance Physical Therapy Partners, we’re proudly bringing together physical therapy practices across the country to help people get the high-quality PT they need.
Want to see a physical therapist in person? We can put you in touch with an Alliance PTP partner that’s close to you and that can help find dry needling near you.
Not keen on in-person PT sessions or not close to an Alliance PTP partner? No worries. We also offer effective and affordable virtual physical therapy through our Agile Virtual Physical Therapy platform.
Come find help for your injury or chronic condition today!
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