Dry Needling in Bel Air, MD

We are pleased to offer dry needling for the treatment of pain and injuries.

What is dry needling ?

Dry needling is a proven, safe and effective treatment that uses needle stimulation directly to trigger points without the injection of substances.

Is dry needling acupuncture?  

Dry needling uses a needle similar to that used in acupuncture but varies in size depending on the area of treatment.  Acupuncture generally uses Chinese medicine theories and body meridians.  Dry needling is using a handful of needles is a specific trigger point or points close together.    

How do I know if dry needling would be a good choice for me?

Schedule and exam and consultation with one our doctors and they will recommend the best treatments for your specific condition.  

dry needling from dr lee

 

Click here for your Complimentary Consultation

Why does dry needling work?

Research has shown that the pain relief obtained from medical injections apparently is not dependent on the specific properties of the substance injected , but the precise location of the point to be injected and the stimulation of the needle itself.   In short the needle is causing the healing not the substance left behind.  The idea is to irritate the area so that the body remembers that there is an injury and heals the area.  

Trigger points are hyperirritable spots in muscle that are extremely painful and deep in the muscle.  These spots cause referred pain and motor dysfunction. It has been said that  trigger points are the most commonly missed diagnosis in chronic pain patients.

Some examples

  • Tennis/golfer’s elbow
  • Shoulder pain
  • Headaches
  • Back pain
  • Hip pain
  • TMJ pain
  • Plantar fasciitis
  • Achilles tendonitis
  • Frozen shoulder
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Chronic fatigue

Do the needles hurt?  

Much like acupuncture when the needle is inserted you feel the plastic sleeve that surrounds the needle as it touches your skin.  The “prick” of the needle is not felt at all as these needles are so thin they can not be felt.  Many patients will feel some discomfort in the trigger point.  This is to be expected as the goal is to irritate the trigger point so that healing can occur.    

Dry needling. It is quick, easy and very effective.

Testimonial

While traveling my computer back fell off my shoulder and I caught it on my arm right below my elbow.  There was no visible bruise or soreness to the area.  Six weeks later there was pain in my wrist.  It started small but quickly got worse.  It was difficult to use a computer.  It hurt to rotate my wrist.  I hand no strength to grip anything I could not open doors .   It got so bad that I could not move my last two fingers.   As went to see Dr. Lee he was examining my wrist and could not find anything wrong.  He kept asking how i hurt it and there was no injury.  So he moved up my arm looking for an injury.  He found a trigger point where it was extremely sore right below my elbow.  It was then I remembered about the computer bag.  He used 3 needles inserted into the 3 most tender spots.  They hurt for a few minutes he explained that he was irritating a hurt area.  Once the needles were removed the pain down my arm was significantly less.  After 3-4 sessions and it was completely gone.  – Susie age 40