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Dry Needling Trigger Point Release (TDN)

About Trigger Point Dry Needling (Research articles at the end of the page)

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Myofascial Trigger Point:

“A hyperirritable spot in skeletal muscle that is associatedwith a hypersensitive palpable nodule in a taut band. The spot is painful on compression and can give rise tocharacteristic referred pain, referred tenderness, motor dysfunction, andautonomic phenomena”. “Anymyofascial trigger point is to be distinguished from a cutaneous, ligamentous,periosteal, or any other non-muscular trigger point”. “A cluster of electrically active loci each of which is associated with a contraction knot and a dysfunctional motor endplate inskeletal muscle”. (Travell &Simons’, Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction, The Trigger Point Manual. Second Edition, Lippincott Williams& Wilkins)

Myofascial Pain Syndrome:

“The sensory, motor, and autonomic symptoms caused by amyofascial trigger point. Thespecific muscle or muscle group that causes the symptoms should be identified. A regional painsyndrome of any soft tissue origin.” (Travell & Simons’, Myofascial Painand Dysfunction, The Trigger Point Manual. Second Edition, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins)

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Factors that Can Cause a Trigger Point

• Sudden trauma to musculoskeletal tissues (muscles, ligaments, tendons, bursae)

• Injury to intervertebral discs

• General fatigue

• Repetitive motions; Muscle strain due to over activity; Excessive exercise

• Lackof activity (e.g., a broken arm in a sling)

• Chillingof areas of the body (e.g., sitting under an AC duct)

What is Dry Needling?:

Dry Needling is a broad term used to define “non-injection”needling from the practice of “injection needling” which utilizes a hypodermic syringe and usually involves the injection of an agent such as saline, localanesthetic or corticosteroids into the tissue. In contrast, Dry Needling uses a solid, filament needle without a razor-blade point, which is utilized to stimulate specific reactions intarget tissues for its therapeutic effects.

How Does Needling Stop the Cycle?

A spasm muscle is essentially a damaged muscle. Because the spasm reduces the bloodflow to the muscle it does not get the proper amounts of oxygen and nutrients needed. Thus, fibrous scar tissuereplaces the muscle fibers, which keeps the muscle tight causing continuedspasm and prevents the release of metabolites.

What Does Dry Needling Feel Like?

Needles are usually only inserted for a few seconds or canbe left in a little longer depending on the desired effect. The sensation of the needle is usually described as a tingling or dull ache. In some instances electrical stimulation may be use to aid the releaseof the tissue and trigger point. The most common side effect of Dry Needling is muscle soreness.

Is Trigger Point Dry Needling (TDN) Acupuncture?

NO. Acupuncture is based on the ancient Chinese philosophyof the balance of Yin and Yang. Itusually treats local dysfunctions distally, and uses specific energy meridiansto approach the dysfunctions. TDNis the direct release of the specific structure involved.

How does it Works?

Many painful conditions are developed as tissues try toadapt to a trigger point or muscle spasm in the muscles and connective tissueswithin the body. This will affectoptimum functioning of the joins and spine. This can result in localized and referred pain.

After an identification of these points, TDN techniques arecapable of restoring normal muscle function by deactivating the irritated foci,thus decreasing pain associated with it and dysfunction.

By allowing the body to decrease the level of pain and muscletension, further treatments could be carried out, such as stabilization andstrengthening exercises. As an example, “tennis elbow” develops as a result of chronic irritation of thetendons of the forearm that attaches the muscle to the bone in the elbow. Inflammation develops and pain resultsin the area with any activity. Themuscles respond by tightening and shortening. This causes further strain and a self-perpetuating conditiondevelops. For the treatment ofthis condition, TDN can release the affected tissues, stimulating the naturalbody’s healing process, as well as releasing the trigger point and restoring normal muscle length.

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Skill Level and Training

Dry Needling approach demands an advanced education beforepracticing. Prior to beingaccepted into a TDN class the Physical Therapist must have 2+ years manualtherapy experience. Then they mustcomplete a total of 46 hours of training face-to-face with the instructor asrequired by the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), anddemonstrates they are qualified to perform TDN. Rodrigo Gil Moreno de Mora, PT, DPT, MA is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and has meet these requirements after taking Dry Needling Iand Advanced Dry Needling II.

Dr. Gil Moreno de Mora graduated from Regis University in 1996 with a Masters in Physical Therapy and then completed his doctorate, also at Regis, in 2005.

**If you are interested in more information, we’d be happyto talk with you! We can alsoshare with you research articles regarding TDN and it’s effectiveness.

TDN Research Articles

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files_47e41e8554579.pdf

http://achievingme.blogspot.com/2008/06/dry-needling.html

http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/abs/10.1089/acm.2006.6371