Muscle relief using dry needling: Is dry needling safe?

Is dry needling safe? That is usually a question asked by people who do not understand the procedure and what it is used for. Another question people ask is “Can dry needling be used on eyes?”, this article will focus on answering how dry needling can be used, and its benefits.

What is dry needling?

This type of treatment is used to relax the muscles and improve the muscle coordination, strength, and function of these muscles. The way it works is by using needles to inject or draw fluids from certain areas to be able to produce a twitch response or spinal cord reflex. This twitch in the spine creates an instant relief and a new pain-free range of motion for the muscles affected.

What is dry needling used to treat?

Dry needling can be used to treat a range of conditions. It can be used to treat:

  • Neck pain
  • Dental pain
  • Shoulder pain
  • Eye pain
  • Elbow pain
  • Hand pain
  • Wrist pain
  • Back pain
  • Leg pain
  • Sports injuries
  • Other pains caused by chronic conditions

Benefits of dry needling

Dry needling is a non-surgical method to go about treating body pains.

is dry needling safe

Pain relief. Dry needling offers instant pain relief for various pains across the body. Discomforts caused by muscular pain and stiffness can also be treated by dry needling.

Better range of motion. Athletes who have a limited range of motion because of a sports-related injury can also use dry needling to get pain relief as well as improved range of motion to the affected muscle.

Is dry needling safe?

Although dry needling is safe, there is not much research that backs dry needling, it is generally safe. However, there are a few side-effects that you need to be ready for should you be considering having this type of treatment. The mild side-effects are normal however, there are more serious side-effects such as bruising, bleeding in the area and the temporary soreness of the muscles involved in the treatment.

Dry needling is safe if it is performed by a specialist, it is a safe option to be used for muscle pains. However, if the needles that are used in the procedure are not sterile, you will be at risk of getting an infection or contracting a bloodborne illness. Make sure that the specialist disposes of the needles that are used on you. Also, since there is no formal training or certification one has to get to practice dry needling, many have concerns about its safety to be used to treat body pains.

Is there an alternative?

If you suffer from muscle pains and want to get relief from these pains, you may want to consider acupuncture instead. There are more research and certification done on the safety of acupuncture. It also provides relief to the tired and sore muscles in your body, so it is a good alternative if you are hesitant to try dry needling. As modern medicine continues to evolve, we might be able to see more safety training made for dry needling, but for now, you may ask your doctor for advice on the best treatment you can get for your muscle pains.

Muscles Tension

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