Demystifying Dry Needling at AthleteRX

The Problem: Chronic Pain That Won’t Quit

You’ve tried stretching, foam rolling, massage, maybe even had to go through surgery, but that nagging pain just won’t go away. This annoyance can come from several key sources; trapped nerves, confused nervous system, trigger points in the muscle, dense connective tissue. Your pain experience comes from many different sources and sometimes is a combination of more than just one. You need a tool that can help tackle them all; that’s where dry needling comes into play. Dry Needling is a wonderful tool, but it’s also a tool and has its limits. In this edition of the AthleteRX Rundown, we’re going over what dry needling is, how it works, its uses and limitations. 

Enter Dry Needling: The Short-term “Heal-it-all” Hero

You’ve likely heard about dry needling through other internet sources and maybe even been treated with dry needling previously. For those that are new to the treatment, dry needling is a small, solid needle that is inserted into the affected area with the ultimate goal of reducing your pain. Remember that your pain can come from several different sources, hence why foam rolling, massage guns, taping, cupping might have fallen short; they’re missing some or multiple sources of your pain. Dry needling affects the nerves that feed information to the brain, connective tissue that help you move, tight muscles, and blood vessels that feed the surrounding tissues. It’s been shown through research that dry needling does the following: 

Dry Needling helps relieve pain and improve function

• Improves blood flow

• Improves sensory (feeling) and motor (moving) nerve function

• Releases endorphins

• Accelerates tissue healing

• Reduces pain sensation in the nervous system

• Helps to mobilize scar tissue

Here are a few cases that we’ve worked on at AthleteRX through dry needling;

• Ankle Sprains

• Migraines

• Low Back Pain

• Shin Splints (Bone Stress Injuries)

• Tennis Elbow (Tendinopathy)

• Nerve Damage

• Arthritis

However there’s a weakness to every superhero and dry needling can’t be the cheat code for everything. There are some conditions that dry needling can’t truly heal; diabetes, high blood pressure, stenosis, arthritis to name a few. Dry needling is also rarely a one shot victory and several sessions to several different locations will almost definitely be needed. If we don’t take care of what caused that densification, that neurotrigger point, that tendinopathy in the first place, then dry needling can only be so effective. This is where rehabilitation, exercise modification and other treatments come into play. The goal with dry needling is to help drive change to allow for other modalities to make true functional change. 

Here’s how dry needling can be a part of your therapy to get back to moving pain free. 

The Plan: What to Expect

1. Consultation & Assessment: We’ll evaluate your movement, pinpoint the root cause of your pain, and determine if dry needling is right for you (it most likely is).

2. Targeted Treatment: Either Dr. Price or Dr. Lucas will target the key link in your case to help unlock pain-free movement.

3. Active Recovery Plan: We’ll provide you with movement strategies and exercises to ensure lasting relief and prevent future pain.

   
   

Here’s How To Get Started

Get back on the path of lasting, functional change. If you’re tired of dealing with persistent pain and want a solution that works, schedule an appointment at AthleteRX today. Let’s get you back to doing what you love—pain-free and stronger than ever.

The Success: A Future Without Limitations

Imagine training, running, or lifting without that constant ache slowing you down. With dry needling, you can move freely, recover faster, and perform at your best. Don’t let pain dictate your limits—take control of your recovery today!