Dry Needling vs. Acupuncture for Myofacial Trigger Point Pain Therapy

Dry Needling Myofacial Trigger Points Pain Therapy:

Dry Needling is a treatment used in physical therapy that involves using needles, often the same needles used by acupuncturists, to target specific points in the body that are associated with acute and chronic pain.

Acupuncture is based on Traditional Chinese Medicine, with a focus on restoring the distribution of “Qi” (the vital life force) in the body. Acupuncturists place needles along meridians in the body that are believed to influence chronic pain and disease. Dry Needling is based on Western science and knowledge of anatomy, with a focus on releasing palpable myofascial trigger points in the body.

Physical therapists who practice dry needling place needles in trigger points that often times reproduce the patient’s pain when pressure is applied to them. Dry Needling is systematic and requires certification to be performed by your physical therapist. Needle insertion increases blood flow locally in the tissue, creating a natural healing process to restore function.

Benefits of Dry Needling include but are not limited to:

• Trigger points causes relaxation through disruption of the motor endplate.
• Assists in pain control by blocking the neural pain pathways, per the Gate Control Theory.
• Causes a local chemically mediated response through the release of proteins and neurotransmitters, which block the transmission of pain messages.

The importance of seeking a physical therapist to perform dry needling:

• Releasing a trigger point is just one step on the pathway to recovery from pain.
• After dry needling, they will instruct you in therapeutic exercise
• Perform additional manual therapy techniques to restore functional movement and prevent the pain from coming back.
• By choosing physical therapy to treat your pain and dysfunction, you will receive a multi-faceted approach that is paramount for long-term recovery.

Let us help you reduce and eliminate pain with our physical therapy programs, dry needling, and programs for long term health care success

Back Pain? Dry Needling Might Be the Answer!

Lowcountry Physical Therapy Associates

8-B Farmfield Avenue Charleston SC 29407

(843) 266-9200

Back Pain?  Dry Needling Can
Eliminate Trigger Point Pain

Back pain is a result muscle injury or repetitive strain. Dry Needling therapy is one of the many types of treatment options used by Lowcountry Physical Therapist to treat and relieve pain. 

Make an Appointment

or CALL : (843) 266-9200

 

About Dry Needling Success

Back Pain Dry Needling Therapy uses acupuncture needles and is called dry because no medication is injected. A small filament (needle) is inserted into the problem areas of muscle or myofascial tissue that is not responding to other treatment. The procedure of the needle create a lesion resulting in stimulation of blood flow and therefore healing of the affected area.

Acupuncture needles are used by trained physical therapists in the treatment of trigger points, myofascial pain, tendinopathies, and other musculoskeletal dysfunctions to help patients in the rehabilitation process. Click here for more info. 

The Best Physical Therapy Care You Can Get

Best Patient
Comfort

Trust and safety form the basis of our approach - we greet each patient with the utmost esteem

High Profile
Physical Therapist

Our Certified Physical Therapy staff works with each patient for a personalized program.

Detailed
Therapy Programs

Our Therapy clinic customizes home therapy programs based upon our patient needs

First Rate
Treatments

We offer fair professional medical advice and the newest treatments at the highest standards

Our Physical Therapy Specialties

• Back Pain Therapy
• Shoulder Pain Therapy
• Neck Pain Therapy

• Rehabilitation Therapy
• Home Therapy Exercise Program
• Step Down Facility

• Dry Needling
• Proper Body Mechanics Education
• No Physican Referral Required

Make an Appointment

or CALL :(843) 266-9200

What Our Patients Have to Say

Shane Melaugh

I've been going to LPT for the last few weeks to help improve my shoulder after surgery. It has been an excellent experience. The physical therapists and PTAs are fun, caring, and knowledgable. I came in with a MEGA knot between my shoulder and back, with limited ability to move my neck or arm, and serious pain. By the time I left they had blasted away most of the knot and pain with ultrasound, accupuncture, and massage therapies. I was shocked how much they could improve my life in 60 mins. Best of all my shoulder is healing rapidly since the surgery. Thanks Shane, Ansley, and Amanda!

Craig L. - Charleston SC

Shane Melaugh

Excellent care by licensed physical therapists in a warm friendly atmosphere.

Christine M. - Hollywood SC

Our Physical Therapy Team

You can be good in many specialties but it’s hard to be exceptional in all. Our team members are trained in Physical Therapy techniques to deliver the best possible results for our patients. 

Amanda grew up in Ohio and has spent her summers in Charleston, SC since she was a child. She graduated from Ohio State University then moved to Florida to receive her masters in physical therapy from the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences.

Amanda Heyboer

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Master of Physical Therapy

Christine is a graduate with honors in physical therapy of Ohio State University School of Allied Medicine. She owned her own physical therapy practice in Ohio for fifteen years.

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Christine Murphy

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Physical Therapist

Do I Need a Doctor Referral to See a Physical Therapist

Is a Doctor Referral needed to see a Physical Therapist in SC answered by Amanda Heyboer, MPT and Director of Physical Therapy.

Physical Therapy For Lower Back Pain

Get physical therapy for lower back pain from Amanda Heyboer, MPT and Director of Physical Therapy. If you are in the Atalanta area then I highly recommend seeing someone from Inspire Atlanta. They have a great group of staff working there to help you with any physical therapy you need.

Neck Pain Therapy

Neck Pain Therapy can be applied using Neck Therapy by stretching, strengthening, and exercise. We can provide both rehabilitation and pain relief for neck.

• Biomechanically precise—trains the flexion and extension muscles of the neck for improved range of motion
• Stretches and strengthens the cervical spinal muscles while promoting increased omni-directional strength and flexibility of entire neck

For more check out our Video http://www.medxonline.com/articles.php

http://www.selffundingmagazine.com/article/chronic-low-back-and-neck-pain-an-epidemic-out-of-control.html

You would be hard-pressed to find an insurer in the United States today who isn’t looking for ways to reduce healthcare costs without compromising the quality of care.  Cost centers associated with chronic lower back and neck pain are a good place to start.  At $100 billion annually, back and neck pain treatment interventions are the sixth most costly medical expense, and the number one surgical cost center in the healthcare system.

The following are three primary reasons for spiraling costs:

• Back pain and neck pain are common
• There is a huge diversity and lack of sustained success in the treatment of chronic back and neck pain
• The prevailing “fee for service” approach encourages healthcare providers to continue to treat patients without measuring or holding those providers accountable for patient outcomes

Many people are afflicted by back pain and neck pain…

Nearly everyone at some point has back pain that interferes with work, recreation, or daily routine.  Back pain affects about 80 percent of adults at sometime in their lives.  About 50 percent of people have experienced neck pain.

Back pain is:

• The #1 reason for lost work days
• The #2 most common reason for doctor visits – second only to the common cold
• The #2 leading cause of disability

Varied treatments from diverse professionals lack sustained success…

The sheer number and different types of healthcare providers that treat chronic back and neck pain – many with their own unique approaches – suggests that we do not have a good understanding of this very common and expensive problem.

The wide variety of diagnostic tests that are available – ranging from a simple x-ray to 3D magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) – can cost from $500 to more than $3,000 depending on the location and provider.  However, it has been estimated that less than 20 percent of patients can be given a precise diagnosis.

Patients cycle through multiple protocols delivered by physicians, chiropractors, and therapists.  There are more than a dozen therapeutic approaches from medications to chiropractic adjustments, physical therapy, and surgery – all lacking objective measures to quantify their effectiveness for the patient with persistent back and neck pain.

There are arguments as to which approach is best.  Most of these debates are meaningless since there are no common measures within the spine healthcare community by which to gauge success.

Shoulder Pain

Shoulder pain therapy and pain management

Lower Back Pain

Lower Back Pain