Dry Needling for Neck Pain

Neck pain and headaches are some of the most common ailments seen by chiropractors.  Postural stress, emotional stress, and motor vehicle accidents are all major contributors to these issues.  The level of pain can vary from a minor neck tension to debilitating pain that radiates down the arm.  

Fortunately, most cases of neck pain can be managed conservatively, meaning they can be treated without the use of drugs or surgery.  In the absence of serious symptoms, conservative management, like seeing a chiropractor, should be the first option since the cost and risk of adverse effects are lower.  

There are a number of treatment modalities that can be used to manage neck pain and headaches including adjustments, massage, laser therapy, exercise, and dry needling.  The source of neck pain or headaches will determine the type of treatment that is used.

The most common cause of neck pain and headaches we see at TruMotion Therapy is due to muscle and joint tightness in the upper back, shoulders, and neck. Muscle knots, also known as trigger points, can develop over time and are a source of local and referred pain. Trigger points in the muscles around the neck can limit range of motion and refer pain into the head causing headaches. 

Dry Needling is a technique used to reduce muscle pain and tightness.  Very thin acupuncture needles are inserted into the muscle, which stimulates the nervous system to “let go” of muscle tightness.  Needles are typically left in the muscle for 10 minutes then removed and discarded.  Oftentimes, electric stimulation is applied to the needles, which gently pulses the area.

The insertion of the needle into the muscle also causes small trauma to the area.  The trauma is too small for you to consciously recognize but enough to stimulate your body’s natural healing response, which results in improved tissue function and reduced pain. 

To help reduce muscle soreness heat is applied once the needles are removed. Some soreness is not uncommon after your first treatment, but it does not last much more than a day and improves with the application of heat. After 3-4 dry needling treatments, we typically see significant improvement in symptoms such as neck pain.  Occasionally, a few more treatments are needed to resolve the issue.  

If you are in the Charlotte area and are struggling with neck pain, give us a call or BOOK AN APPOINTMENT to see if dry needling is right for you.