What is Dry Needling?
Dry needling involves inserting a very thin sterile needle into a trigger point, which is a taut band in a muscle. Trigger points can be the cause of muscular pain and tension.
The length of the needle is based on the depth of the muscle. The goal of trigger point dry needling is to elicit a twitch response, which is a sudden contraction and subsequent relaxation of the treated muscle. Releasing the tightness in the muscle allows it to contract and relax better and improves the inherent strength of the muscle. This allows the muscle to do a better job performing its role in stabilizing the joint and performing motion.
Unlike acupuncture, which requires the needles left in place for an extended amount of time, dry needling locates the trigger point and employs a “pistoning” technique in which the needle is moved. This elicits a series of twitches from the trigger point and surrounding nerves, allowing the muscle to relax.
Trigger Point Dry Needling is Very Effective to Treat Pelvic Floor Pain
The muscles that can cause pelvic floor pain include the abdominals, the pelvic floor, the glutes, the quadriceps or "quads", the hamstrings, deep hip external rotators like the piriformis, and internal rotators like the Tensor Fascia Lata (TFL), iliotibial band (IT band or ITB), and adductors. Trigger point dry needling can be used to specifically target trigger points, often buried deep within the muscle tissue, to facilitate relaxation of the muscle and reduce pain.