1) What is Functional Dry Needling?
a) Functional Dry Needling (FDN) is the technique of inserting a fine filament needle into neuromuscular junctions or trigger points to stimulate the muscle, improve blood flow, provide pain relief, and improve function. Dry needling means there is no fluid or medication that is being injected.
i) Neuromuscular junction: the site where the nerve sends a signal to the muscle to contract.
ii) Trigger point: local band of tight, irritable muscle tissue that can cause pain and dysfunction.
b) FDN is often used with electrical stimulation in order to get a gentle contraction of the muscle to help with muscle relaxation and blood flow.
c) Treatment is relatively short from 2-20 minutes, depending on the diagnosis and goal of the treatment.
2) What conditions can it help?
a) There are several different diagnoses and conditions that FDN can help with. It is commonly used for low back pain, headaches, jaw pain, IT Band syndrome, tendonitis, muscle strains, pregnancy related pain, and acute injuries such as an ankle sprain to help with blood flow and recovery.
If you have more questions or believe you may benefit from Functional Dry Needling contact us today!