Dry Needling

Treat chronic pain, gain muscle recovery, and heal faster

Dry Needling

What is Dry Needling?

Dry Needling is a treatment for the management of neuromusculoskeletal pain and movement impairments. It uses a thin, solid filament needle that is inserted into the skin and stimulates underlying myofascial trigger points, muscles, and connective tissues. The needle enables the therapist to target tissues that are inaccessible by hand. Dry Needling is performed by skilled Physical Therapists that are certified in the procedure.

How Does It Work?

Fine, hair-like needles are placed in or around the area of dysfunction or injury. When the needle is inserted into a trigger point, which is a taut band of skeletal muscle located within the larger muscle group, a local twitch response (LTR) is elicited. This LTR is a quick contraction reflex of the muscle that can be both diagnostic and therapeutic. This can, often immediately, improve function and range of motion as well as decrease or eliminate pain.

Why Dry Needling?

Dry Needle Therapy is used to relieve pain, reduce muscle tension, improve range of motion, and accelerate the healing process. The microtrauma created by the needle causes the body to release proteins and hormones (commonly referred to as growth factors) directly into the injury site to promote advanced cellular healing.

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Treat chronic pain, gain muscle recovery, and improve range of motion

Dry Needling can help with a variety of conditions by which manual physical therapy has insufficiently reduced pain. Some general conditions include:

  • Chronic muscle pain and trigger points
  • Joint pain
  • Sports and training injuries
  • Headaches and migraines
  • Vertigo and dizziness
  • Neck pain
  • Low back pain and sciatica

MSK Guided Dry Needling

Go beyond traditional Dry Needling with Apex’s exclusive service, Elite Dry Needle Therapy. Through the use of guided ultrasound technology, Apex’s Elite therapy provides pinpoint accuracy, enabling our therapists to target the area of pain or dysfunction with precision. This next-level treatment option is offered only at Apex and is the ideal therapy to treat specific conditions such as:

  • Specific, localized muscle, tendon injury and/or tear
  • Shoulder impingement, tendonitis
  • Rotator Cuff tears
  • Achilles tendonitis and partial tears
  • Patellar tendonitis and partial tears
  • Golfer or Tennis elbow
  • Carpal Tunnel syndrome

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does dry needling hurt?
Most patients experience little to no pain during insertion. You may feel:

  • A brief pinch
  • A muscle twitch
  • A deep ache or cramping sensation

These sensations are generally short-lived and often indicate the targeted muscle has been reached.

What conditions can dry needling help treat?
Dry needling may help with:

  • Neck pain
  • Back pain
  • Shoulder pain
  • Hip pain
  • Knee pain
  • Tennis elbow
  • Plantar fasciitis
  • Headaches
  • TMJ dysfunction
  • Sciatica
  • Tendinitis
  • Muscle strains
  • Chronic muscle tightness
  • Sports injuries
How many sessions will I need?
This varies depending on your condition. Many patients notice improvement within 1–3 visits, while chronic problems may require several treatments as part of a comprehensive rehabilitation program.
Is dry needling safe?
Yes, when performed by a properly trained healthcare professional. Sterile, single-use needles are used, and practitioners follow strict safety procedures.
What makes dry needling at Apex different?
We perform musculoskeletal ultrasound guided dry needling to guide the needles directly into the affected tissue, which provides faster healing.