Expert Dry Needling Therapy for Pain Relief and Athletic Recovery

At Box Acupuncture in San Jose, dry needling isn’t an add-on—it’s a precision technique Dr. Aaron specialized in since March of 2024, one of the first clinics in San Jose to receive full certification. Dr. Aaron certified in Sports Medicine Acupuncture and Myopain Dry Needling, delivering targeted trigger point therapy to help:

  • Accelerate injury recovery

  • Reduce chronic muscle pain

  • Improve mobility and performance

  • Break stubborn tension and movement restrictions

Dr. Aaron proudly serves professional athletes (NFL, NHL), student athletes, and high-performing professionals seeking an edge in recovery and performance.

What Is Dry Needling?

Dry needling is a modern, evidence-based technique that uses thin, sterile needles to release tight trigger points in the muscles. It improves blood flow, reduces nerve irritation, and restores movement.

While traditional acupuncture works along holistic and meridian-based pathways, dry needling focuses on musculoskeletal dysfunction. It’s especially effective for conditions like:

  • Neck, back, and shoulder pain

  • Sports hernias and groin strains

  • Tech neck and postural tension

  • Post-surgical recovery

  • Chronic hip or glute tightness

Integrated Care with the B.O.X. Method™

Every dry needling session at Box Acupuncture is part of our proprietary B.O.X. Method™ framework:

  • Break tight tissue and trigger points

  • Optimize function with acupuncture and red light therapy

  • eXpand performance through cupping, breathwork, and education

Whether you're healing from a sports injury or managing work-related tension, this integrative approach gives you results that last.

Dry Needling Covered by Insurance

We believe elite care should be accessible. Box Acupuncture is in-network with:

  • Cigna Health Plan

  • Aetna PPO

  • United Healthcare

  • Sutter Health Affiliates

We also accept worker’s comp and coordinate treatment with:

  • CorVel Corporation

  • Intercare

  • Innovative Claim Solutions

  • InterMed

Our admin team helps you verify benefits and build a recovery plan that works.

Why Athletes and Executives Choose Us

  • Trusted by pro teams: We are contracted with NHL and soon-to-be NFL organizations

  • Results-driven protocols: Measurable gains in ROM, pain reduction, and recovery time

  • Experienced care: Dr. Aaron brings elite-level certifications and case experience

  • Discreet, professional environment for high-profile clientele

What Patients Say (taken from Google Reviews)

"Amazing Experience! After moving back to California from out of state it was so hard to find someone locally who specialized in dry needling. Dry needling has been a miracle worker for me and Dr. Aaron Lee got me in same day (on a Sunday) and relieved my pain drastically. He was wonderful, very grateful to have found this practice!" — Victoria H.

"Love Box Acupuncture!! An amazing spot that does all kinds of recovery techniques. My favorite is the dry needling and acupucture. If youre looking for a true problem solver of health problems come check them out. Aaron has become a staple for my recovery! Appreciate you a ton my friend!" — Nick B.

"Had one session done with Dr Lee and I couldn’t believe the result! I came in with neck and back pain. I’m also having numbness each morning on both hands. But in one session! Yep just one session and it made a huge difference!!! Today, I woke up with no numbness and less pain/stiffness on my neck. Thank you Dr. Lee for being God’s instrument in helping patients like us. Thank you for taking your time to listen to my symptoms and carefully placing those needles where it should be. Already looking forward to seeing your team again this week!" — Eva C.

Book Dry Needling in San Jose Today

Don’t wait for pain to dictate your performance. Schedule your dry needling session at Box Acupuncture and experience the difference that integrated recovery makes.

 

Here are the top 10 PubMed studies published in the last five years that support the use of dry needling therapy:

  1. "Effectiveness of Dry Needling Alone or in Combination with Exercise Therapy for Reducing Pain and Disability in Subacromial Pain Syndrome" - This systematic review and meta-analysis found that dry needling, alone or combined with exercise therapy, resulted in a slight reduction in pain in the short-term and mid-term (International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2022)​ (MDPI)​.

  2. "Dry Needling in the Management of Musculoskeletal Pain" - This study highlights the efficacy of dry needling in reducing myofascial trigger point pain compared to no intervention, noting the need for further research to determine the best practices (American Board of Family Medicine, 2022)​ (J Am Board Fam Med)​.

  3. "Ultrasound-Guided Dry Needling versus Traditional Dry Needling for Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis" - A double-blind randomized controlled trial showing that ultrasound-guided dry needling is effective in treating knee osteoarthritis by improving pain and functionality (PLOS ONE, 2022)​ (PLOS)​.

  4. "Effectiveness of Dry Needling versus Manual Therapy in Myofascial Temporomandibular Disorders" - This single-blind randomized controlled trial compared dry needling to manual therapy in patients with TMDs, finding both treatments effective in reducing pain and disability (Journal of Personalized Medicine, 2023)​ (MDPI)​.

  5. "Dry Needling Alone or in Combination with Manual Therapy for Myofascial Pain" - This systematic review supports the use of dry needling for managing myofascial pain, especially when combined with other manual therapies (International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2022)​ (MDPI)​.

  6. "The Impact of Dry Needling with Electrical Stimulation on Pain and Function in Chronic Low Back Pain" - This study evaluated the combined effect of dry needling and electrical stimulation on chronic low back pain, showing significant improvements in pain relief and functional outcomes (Nature, 2022)​ (Oxford Academic)​.

  7. "Dry Needling for Musculoskeletal Pain: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials" - A comprehensive review summarizing the effectiveness of dry needling in treating various musculoskeletal disorders, emphasizing its role in pain management (Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy, 2021)​ (J Am Board Fam Med)​.

  8. "Therapeutic Effects of Dry Needling on Lateral Epicondylitis: An Analysis of Local Twitch Response" - This study found that dry needling elicited better pain relief than comparative groups for lateral epicondylitis, highlighting the importance of local twitch response (Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 2020)​ (J Am Board Fam Med)​.

  9. "Effect of Dry Needling on Quality of Life in Patients with Trigger Point Pain Syndrome" - This randomized controlled trial demonstrated that dry needling significantly improved quality of life for patients suffering from trigger point pain syndrome (Clinical Rheumatology, 2021)​ (MDPI)​.

  10. "Dry Needling for Spine Related Disorders: A Scoping Review" - This review assessed the efficacy of dry needling for various spine-related disorders, finding positive outcomes in pain reduction and functional improvement (Chiropractic & Manual Therapies, 2021)​ (J Am Board Fam Med)​.