New Physical Therapy Option: Dry Needling for Reducing Chronic Muscle Pain

Though you may not like the idea of needles, these are teeny-tiny, and they help relieve—and in some cases, eliminate—chronic muscle pain. This safe procedure is called Dry Needling, and two of our physical therapists are fully certified in this new 45-minute in-clinic option at St. Cloud Orthopedics.

Similar to acupuncture in that the needles are super thin and can’t be used for injections (those are wet needles), dry needles rarely cause patients to bleed or have any adverse symptoms. Yet the results have been fantastic.

“We’ve had patients return to running after only two to three sessions,” said Joshua Lashinski, DPT. He and Dan Ness, PT, provide dry needling at both of our clinic locations.

The short explanation of dry needling goes something like this:

• It’s an elective procedure that only takes a total of 30 to 45 minutes per session, done at our clinic
• Some people need less sessions than others, but the average is about 4 to 10 to achieve the best results
• Sessions can be scheduled 2 to 3 times per week
• The process includes inserting the nearly painless tiny needles into the soft tissue/muscle that has been identified as the pain area. Then, the needles are attached to an electronic stimulator, or “e-stim,” for the duration of the session (This part is still pain-free.)
• The reason for all of this is to stimulate the body’s natural healing instincts in that localized area
• It’s perfect for: people with tension headaches, low back pain, knee pain, plantar fasciitis, trochantertic bursitis, sciatic pain, and athletes with chronic pain
• Results vary depending on where the pain is and if the patient has a chronic or acute condition, but dry needling can provide tissue healing, muscle spasm reduction, and pain relief

Make an appointment for a dry needling consultation at either of our clinic locations by calling 320-259-4100.