Chronic pain, muscle tightness, or sports-related injuries can hold you back from doing what you love. At Rock Solid Physical Therapy and Performance, we offer a range of evidence-based treatments to get you moving again—and dry needling is one of the most powerful tools in our toolbox.
Dry needling is a technique that involves inserting thin, monofilament needles into myofascial trigger points—tight bands within a muscle that can cause pain and dysfunction. Despite superficial similarities, dry needling is not acupuncture; it is rooted in Western medicine principles and focuses on musculoskeletal pain and dysfunction.
The goal? To release muscle tension, reduce pain, and improve mobility—quickly and effectively.
At Rock Solid, dry needling is always performed by licensed physical therapists with specialized training. We begin by assessing your pain, range of motion, and movement patterns. Once trigger points are identified, we insert sterile needles directly into these points. You might feel a twitch response—a brief contraction of the muscle—which is a good sign the treatment is targeting the right spot.
Sessions are typically 15–30 minutes and may be combined with therapeutic exercise, stretching, or manual therapy to maximize results.
So how does sticking a tiny needle into a muscle help with pain?
Neurophysiological Response: Dry needling activates descending pain inhibitory tracks in the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) which reduces the perception of pain by the brain [1]. It also can reduce unwanted neural activity involved in the development of trigger points.
Inflammation Reduction: Dry needling also appears to reduce local inflammation by disrupting pro-inflammatory cytokines and promoting blood flow to the area [2]. This helps flush out inflammatory byproducts that contribute to pain.
Muscle Deactivation: Trigger points are sites of excessive acetylcholine release and metabolic stress. Needling them can normalize chemical imbalances, reduce spontaneous electrical activity, and relieve muscle tightness [3].
Research and clinical experience suggest dry needling can be highly effective for:
Neck and back pain
Shoulder pain or upper trap "tightness"
Tennis elbow
Hip and gluteal pain
Plantar fasciitis
Headaches (including tension-type and cervicogenic)
Post-surgical scar tissue and adhesions
Muscle strains and athletic injuries
Dry needling can provide rapid pain relief and accelerate healing, especially when combined with a full rehab program.
Dry needling is not a cure-all. It is most effective for myofascial pain and neuromuscular dysfunction, but less effective for:
Structural joint issues (e.g., advanced osteoarthritis)
Systemic conditions (e.g., fibromyalgia or autoimmune diseases)
Pain driven purely by psychosocial factors
It also isn’t typically used as a stand-alone treatment. For best results, dry needling should be part of a comprehensive physical therapy plan, not a shortcut.
If you're struggling with nagging pain or stubborn muscle tightness, dry needling might be the missing piece of your recovery puzzle. Our team at Rock Solid Physical Therapy and Performance is here to guide you safely and effectively through this cutting-edge technique.
References:
Chou, L. W., Kao, M. J., & Lin, J. G. (2012). Probable mechanisms of needling therapies for myofascial pain control. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM, 2012, 705327. https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/705327
Kietrys, D. M., Palombaro, K. M., & Azzaretto, E. (2013). Effectiveness of dry needling for upper-quarter myofascial pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy, 43(9), 620-634.
Unverzagt, C., Berglund, K., & Thomas, J. J. (2015). DRY NEEDLING FOR MYOFASCIAL TRIGGER POINT PAIN: A CLINICAL COMMENTARY. International journal of sports physical therapy, 10(3), 402–418.