New Type of Therapy at Burgess
Those in pain now have one more option available to help relieve what ails them. Physical therapists at Burgess Rehabilitation Services are offering a new form of therapy. Josh Lander, MPT in Onawa and Jenny Miller, MPT, in Mapleton and Dunlap are now offering dry needling.
Dry needling is a physical therapy technique that decreases pain in your muscles. The technique uses a “dry” needle, one without medication or injection, inserted into areas of the muscle.
Dry needling is used to treat a variety of conditions, including:
- Headaches
- Tissue adhesions
- Back pain
- Chronic pain
- Tennis elbow
- Hamstring pain
- Knee pain
- Sciatica
- Fibromyalgia pain
A typical fear that some people have involving needles is “does it hurt?” Lander answered this question by saying, “Dry needling is known to be relatively painless. Generally, the needle insertion is not felt, and the local twitch response only provokes a very brief pain response, feeling more like a shock or cramping sensation. Following the treatment, patients may be sore for about a day but may experience an immediate improvement in range of motion and strength, as well as a decrease in pain.”
There is more to this technique than just sticking a dry needle into your skin and magically making you feel better. There is science involved. Let’s say you’re suffering from shoulder or neck pain; the therapist will insert needles into detected trigger points. The needles will release tension, inflammation, and pressure in the muscles that has caused the pain. Overall, what makes needling effective is that it encourages your body to fix the injury and reduce the pain by naturally healing itself.
Both Lander and Miller have specialized training and certification in dry needling therapy. For the most effective treatment, this service is performed as part of a complete rehabilitation plan rather than a standalone treatment.
“Patients with musculoskeletal dysfunction are the majority of our clients. Dry needling gives us another way of addressing these issues,” said Miller.
Burgess accepts most insurances, and your insurance benefits can be checked before your evaluation. For questions or more information about how you may benefit from dry needling therapy, call Burgess Rehabilitation Services in Onawa at 712-423-9287 or Mapleton at 712-882-2343.