SERVICES
What is Dry Needling Therapy?
Let’s break it down! Dry Needling Therapy is a technique for reducing muscle tension and pain. Tiny needles are inserted into particular locations of your muscles that are causing discomfort. These areas, referred to as trigger points, have the potential to cause muscular knots that limit and hurt your range of motion.
Unlike acupuncture, which comes from Eastern medicine, dry needling is based on Western medicine principles, focusing on your muscles, nerves, and how they interact. It’s commonly used by physical therapists and dentists to treat musculoskeletal pain.
The main goal of dry needling is to target those tight, painful muscle knots. When the needles are gently inserted into these trigger points, they help loosen up the muscle, ease the pain, and get your body back to its natural healing process.
Jaw and Face
How Does Dry Needling Help Your Jaw and Face?
For those who deal with jaw pain, teeth grinding (bruxism), or jaw joint issues (TMJ), dry needling can be a game changer. It targets the muscles in the jaw and face that are causing pain and tightness. By relaxing these muscles, the therapy can help reduce pain, improve jaw movement, and make you feel more comfortable overall. It works well alongside other dental treatments to enhance results.
What are the Benefits of Dry Needling for Jaw and Facial Pain?
- Pain Relief: If you’ve been dealing with pain in your jaw, face, or neck from things like TMJ or teeth grinding, dry needling can really help. The therapy targets the exact muscles causing the pain, releasing tension and improving your quality of life.
- Improved Muscle Function: Over time, tight or dysfunctional muscles can hold you back. Dry needling works to relax these muscles, helping to restore normal function and reduce the chance of strain in the future. It also encourages better blood flow, which can speed up healing after any dental or orthodontic treatments you’ve had.
- Boosting Other Treatments: Dry needling can also be used in combination with other TMJ treatments. It supports your entire recovery by calming muscles and minimising pain both during and after dental procedures.
In short, dry needling is a simple, effective way to ease muscle pain, relax tension, and get your body back to feeling its best.
Your Questions
FAQ
How do we plan the appointment?
Before your session, we’ll chat about your medical history and any specific areas where you’re feeling discomfort. This helps us figure out exactly which muscles and spots need attention, so we can make sure the treatment is as focused and effective as possible for you.
What will I feel during the procedure?
During the session, we’ll gently insert very thin, sterile needles into certain trigger points in your muscles. You might feel a bit of discomfort or even a twitching sensation as the needle gets to work. Don’t worry—it’s a normal part of the process! The length of the session can vary depending on the areas we’re treating and how much attention is needed.
What can you expect after the procedure?
Once the session is done, you might feel a bit sore—kind of like how your muscles feel after a good workout. But don’t worry, that should go away in a day or two. The benefits of dry needling can be felt right away or gradually improve over a few sessions. You’ll likely notice less pain, better muscle function, and more mobility as time goes on.
Is acupuncture the same as dry needling?
Great question! They’re actually quite different. Acupuncture comes from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and focuses on balancing your body’s energy, or Qi, by targeting certain points along energy pathways (meridians). Dry needling, on the other hand, is based on modern anatomy. It targets muscle trigger points to help with pain relief and improve muscle function. So, while both use needles, they work in different ways for different purposes!