Dry Needling Therapy
Dry Needling Therapy focuses on releasing trigger points and stimulating motor points on a muscle. Dry Needling is a great way to loosen tight spasmatic muscles because the needle wraps around small muscle fibers in a trigger point or knot and creates a fasciculation event. Fasciculation is “a brief, spontaneous contraction affecting a small number of muscle fibers, often causing a flicker of movement under the skin. Oxford Definition.”
This purposeful muscle contraction tells motor neurons and sensory neurons to relax the muscle. In addition, it can help regulate and “wake up” lax muscles and may be helpful for muscle/sensory/nerve re-integration for movement or post-stroke. In California, only Licensed Acupuncturists and Medical Doctors who have undergone the proper training can administer Dry Needling Therapy. Dr. Aaron Lee is fully certified in Myofascial Dry Needling Therapy by Myopain Seminars.
Since Dr. Aaron is a Licensed Acupuncturist, his extensive use of dry needles and acupuncture needles are painless and effective.
Treatments are all one-on-one catering to any and all needs with Dry Needling Therapy.
Here are the top 10 PubMed studies published in the last five years that support the use of dry needling therapy:
"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).
"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).
"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).
"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).
"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).
"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).
"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).
"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).
"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).
"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).