Trigger point dry needling is a chiropractic treatment used to relieve chronic pain. It can be used as a stand-alone treatment or in combination with other chiropractic methods such as adjustment, spinal manipulation, or strengthening exercises, depending upon the needs of the individual patient. At Family Wellness Center, our chiropractor near you in Myrtle Beach, SC, provides this service and more.
What Is a Trigger Point?
Within the body, there are familiar structures like bones, muscles, and cartilage. The entire body structure is held in place and together by a special kind of tissue known as myofascial tissue, also referred to as fascia. Fascia is made up of collagen, together with other cells that help your body's immune system. When your fascia becomes injured, displaced, over-tense, or distorted, a knot, known as a trigger point, can develop. Essentially, trigger points prevent this vital connective, shape-holding tissue from performing its function.
When trigger points form, the muscles and other tissue that depend upon the structure the fascia provides can become inflamed or displaced as well. Chronic pain, as well as recurring headaches, loss of motion, and other symptoms can arise as a result. Even touching a trigger point can cause a painful reaction.
How Dry Needling Treats Trigger Points
Dry needling reduces the pain and tension in trigger points. When the therapist applies a dry needle to the trigger point, blood flow is increased to the point. This increased blood flow helps bring more oxygen and nutrients to the affected tissue, which helps remove toxins that have built up and tend to cause pain and inflammation. This speeds up recovery through natural processes.
Additionally, the dry needle application can sometimes trigger a response from nearby nerves. This response can result in two possible positive outcomes:
- First, the nervous system can sometimes trigger a release of endorphins, hormones which the body uses in response to pain. These hormones can lessen pain and reduce discomfort in the patient.
- Second, the nervous response can sometimes cause the muscles and tissues in the neighboring area to twitch. This twitching is a positive development, as it can often lead to the reduction or removal of the tension that caused the trigger point to begin with.
Trigger point dry needling has been shown in clinical studies to be as safe and effective as conventional medicine, and can help treat chronic pain.
Contact Our Chiropractor near You Today
At Family Wellness Center of Myrtle Beach, SC, we take great pride in our service to the community. We are dedicated to bringing the very best and most advanced chiropractic health care to our friends and neighbors in the community. If you are considering chiropractic care, and are looking for a chiropractor in Myrtle Beach, or if you simply wish to learn more about how chiropractic medicine treats patients through more natural and holistic means, call us today at (843) 605-1600 for an appointment. We would love to meet you and demonstrate how we can help you have a healthier lifestyle through chiropractic medicine.