Dry Needling

Suffering From Stubborn Muscle Spams & Trigger Points?

Dry Needling May Be An Option For You

Dry Needling is a trigger point therapy using acupuncture needles inserted into tight muscles and trigger points. These needles are then attached to electrical stimulation to clear the tension and bring new blood supply to the area to increasing healing of the tissue.

Common Questions:

Is it painful?

The needle used in dry needling is similar to the needle used in acupuncture. It is so small, that it does not hurt to penetrate the skin. It can however elicit a twitch response, causing the muscle to twitch, once the needle penetrates down to the muscle belly. The needle is inserted deep enough to get to the "knot" that is causing pain. Then electricity is introduced to make the muscle contract, squishing out it's toxic metabolic waste. Cramping and a short term ache may be felt. Minutes later, once the procedure is finished, the muscle should relax deeply, and relief should be felt.

How deep do the needles go during a dry needling treatment?

No more than a centimeter deep (0.394 inches).

What are the side effects?

The most common is soreness at the site of treatment. This usually lasts less than 48 hours, and is generally a more tolerable pain than the pain caused by the knot in the muscle that the dry needling is treated.

Other side effects are minor bleeding and or bruising at the site, fainting, fatigue and skin reactions.

A rare but possible side effect is pneumothorax, where the needle is inserted deep enough to puncture a lung. This is more possible if the practitioner does not raise the skin up and away from the chest during the needle application, especially in thin patients, or at the site above the first rib. We are proud to say we have not had any cases of pneumothorax in our clinic. This is where it is advised to seek dry needling from a skilled and highly trained specialist, like our sports chiropractic specialist, Dr. McCoy.

Is there anything to avoid after a dry needling treatment?

After dry needling, one should not lift heavy items or do an intense work out. Instead, it is advised that you stretch and move through out the day to keep the blood flowing through this newly relaxed muscle, without straining it.

Are there any contraindications to a dry needling treatment?

The main one is patients with needle phobia, and are too fearful to be willing to receive a dry needling treatment. If the area to be treated is very swollen, the swelling needs to be addressed first, as it may increase the risk of infection and increase the difficulty fighting an infection if it should occur. Immune compromised patients may not be appropriate candidates for dry needling.

If you suffer from pain, and have muscle tightness, dry needling may be the treatment that will provide the relief you are looking for.

Our patients have access to an elite sports chiropractic specialist for their every day injuries... Dr. McCoy

About Dr. McCoy

Dr. McCoy specializes in sports injuries and treatment through soft tissue techniques and rehab exercises so you can return to activity as soon as possible. This DOES NOT mean you have to be an athlete to receive this type of treatment or to see Dr. McCoy.

People can suffer the same injury, whether they are an athlete, a parent playing ball with their child, or a weekend warrior, regardless of what you were doing to cause that injury, Dr. McCoy can help you not just with your injury but help you obtain your personal goals and getting you back to the activities you enjoy.

We feel privileged and grateful that he is part of our team of expert chiropractors. Because of Dr. McCoy, our patients can have access to an elite sport's specialist for their every day injuries.

Why Wait? Click HERE to Schedule!

If you are suffering from one of the following conditions or pains you may benefit from the soft tissue techniques and rehab exercises prescribed by our expert, Dr. McCoy:
- Pain with running
- Golfers or tennis elbow
- Rotator cuff injury
  - Tendinitis in upper or lower extremity
  - Hip/knee pain when running/squatting
  - Pain when lifting weights over head
- Trouble with form when performing Olympic lifts
  - Squat assessments for compensation
  - History of multiple ankle sprains
- Stability weakness when dead-lifting or shoulder presses
  - Diaphragm assessment for breathing dysfunctions in core

Other Treatment Techniques

ART: active release technique involves pinning and stretching tight muscles through movement patterns to decrease muscle tension.

Cupping: treatment using suction cups to lift the skin to allow metabolic waste to clear from the muscle.

Functional Movement Assessment: series of movement patterns to find compensations that may be causing your pain or hindering your performance in a certain activity.

Movement Specific Rehabilitation Exercises: specific stability, mobility, or strengthening exercises designed for whatever movement or activity goals you may have. To learn more about how exercises can help, Click HERE

To learn more about electrical muscle stimulation, Click HERE.

To learn more about the Graston Technique for muscle pain, Click HERE

To learn more about Rapid Release Therapy, Click HERE

To learn more about Spinal Adjustments and Chiropractic Manipulation, Click HERE

Tips for getting back in shape:

Does running cause you pain? Want to be able to run again?

Information for Golfers

orthotics for golfers

If you are a golfer, you know you drive for show and putt for dough. But it still feels amazing to hit the sweet spot and drive further than you ever have before. To better your golf game, improving the flexibility of your spine will help. To better your putt, then you need to better your balance. Your feet are the foundation on which you stand. If you have a foot that collapses more than the other, then your body's "foundation" is un-leveled, un-leveling your entire body. How can you be expected to putt straight if your body is not standing straight? Par Flex orthotics can help! Call to today for a free foot scan to see how your feet are affecting your golf game!

Click here to schedule your free foot scan.

Chiropractic is helps all athletes!

Professional athletes are constantly reaching new heights in their professional careers. With each passing year, new records are shattered and the human body is pushed to its limits. Competitors train rigorously and take their diets to a new level every day. Yet despite the conscientious care and precautions that athletes follow, most experience musculoskeletal injuries at one time or another.

Chiropractors and Sports Injuries

A chiropractor is to athletes as a cardiologist is to those who suffer from cardiovascular disease. Athletes who receive treatment from a medical doctor find themselves frequently benched and on the sidelines. Others play and then spend hours after the game icing their injuries and taking pain medication. This is because medical doctors do not treat the body as an integrated system, but rather treat each injury individually. Meanwhile, chiropractic treatment offers a balanced, holistic approach, by using spinal adjustments and physical therapy techniques to help the patient’s muscles, tendons, and ligaments return to their normal function.

Chiropractic care meticulously tends to the needs of the athlete because special attention is given to the spine, joints, muscles, tendons, and nerves. Additionally, chiropractic care ensures that all pieces of the musculoskeletal system are working harmoniously in their healthiest, most natural state.

Professional athletes recognize tremendous value in a good chiropractor because they realize that it helps them maximize athletic performance. Whether you’re an athlete or weekend warrior, receiving chiropractic care will enable you to reach an optimum level of achievement without breaking yourself.

This includes the young athlete. Our sports chiropractor, Dr. McCoy, can examine the young athlete and address imbalances now, to minimize risk of injury later. We are part of the CPOYA program (Concerned Parents of Young Athletes). To learn more, check out: cpoya.com