Dry Needling

Dry needling is the painless inserting of an acupuncture style needle into a trigger point in a muscle. This process causes the trigger point to relax and the pain to dissipate. This is combined with chiropractic adjustments and exercises to correct the issue at the cause.

You are probably wondering what a trigger point is and what an acupuncture needle is. A trigger point is what is commonly known as a muscle knot. They are sensitive parts of a muscle that are often tender to touch. Sometimes they even refer pain to other areas of the body. An acupuncture needle is a single use extremely thin solid core needles (needles used for injection are hollow) typically the diameter is 0.20mm about twice as thick as a human hair.

What to expect during your treatment?

Dr. Hannegan will evaluate your need for dry needling, if deemed necessary he will insert the appropriate length sterile needle into the trigger point. This is typically painless, but occasionally there is mild discomfort with more severe trigger points.

Treatment lasts 10-15 minutes depending on the number of needles needed and severity. Most people see results in the first few treatments that last hours to weeks. Some people have bruising or soreness at the site of treatment.

The area of treatment will need to be accessible, so please plan your clothing appropriately. We have gowns if we need them, but they aren’t the most stylish.

Dr. Hannegan uses an approach similar to acupuncture where needles are inserted and left alone creating a painless experience. During the procedure we do not move the needle up and down (piston) or move the muscle around while the needle is in the effected tissue as it can be very painful.

What conditions is dry needling used for?

There is a very wide variety of conditions that dry needling is effective for and most of them line up with the same conditions we treat with chiropractic care. The combination of the two creates dramatic results. Check out our services page to see a list of conditions that would be a good candidate for dry needling by Dr. Hannegan.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does it hurt?

99% of the time the treatment is painless. Dr. Hannegan uses an approach that is similar to acupuncture. There is no moving the needle around or moving the muscle around, which can cause significant discomfort.

How long does it take?

A typical dry needling treatment takes around 10-15 minutes.

What clothing should I wear?

Dr. Hannegan needs to access the skin to insert the needles. Clothing that will allow skin access to the area should be worn.

Who should get dry needling?

Patients with bleeding disorders should not receive dry needling treatment. Patients with severe varicose veins may not be able to be needled in the area of the effected veins.