Are There Side Effects From Dry Needling
Most adverse effects have been minor and include:
- Soreness during or after the treatment
- Bleeding at the place where the needle was pushed in
A very rare side effect from improper needle insertion could be major organ puncture, such as a pneumothorax caused by puncturing the lung through needle insertion in the chest.
Use A Home Humidifier
The most effective method for improving a dry nose and throat and reducing dry sinus headache frequency is to incorporate a humidifier into your bedroom, or any room in which you spend most of your time.
Dry home air or a home with low humidity levels, as we discussed earlier in this blog, can zap moisture from the body quickly and unapologetically. A humidifier elevates the humidity content of a room by releasing moisture into the air, helping you to achieve the recommended home humidity levels of 40% to 60%.
The added moisture in your home air will help to rehydrate your dry nasal passages and throat helping to relieve any dry sinus symptoms you may be experiencing. Maintaining a clean humidifier is crucial when suffering from dry sinuses since any mold or bacteria in the water tank can further exacerbate your symptoms.
The Canopy Humidifier
The Canopy Humidifier is an anti-mold, no mist humidifier that effectively relieves symptoms of dry nose and throat, among many other benefits.
Canopy Humidifier is embedded with UV lights that kill 99.9% of bacteria, mold, and viruses that can lurk in your water tank the remaining 0.1% is trapped in the disposable paper filter. Canopys no mist feature allows pure, hydrated air to enter your home rather than messy mist, which can cause mold or mildew on your surfaces, curtains, bedding or anything in the direct line of a traditional humidifiers mist stream.
Based In Western Medicine
Other terms commonly used to describe dry needling include trigger point dry needling and intramuscular manual therapy. Dry needling is not to be confused with acupuncture, a practiced based on traditional Chinese medicine. Dry needling is rooted in Western medicine principles and is another tool therapists have to provide manual therapy. Research on its use and effectiveness continues, Corrigan said.
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Our Physiotherapists Are Expertly Trained
Your physiotherapist has been specifically trained in the various needling techniques. Appropriate needle length and thickness will be chosen by your physiotherapist appropriately for your condition and body size and it will then be inserted through the skin in the appropriate place. You will feel a small pinprick and depending on the type of needle technique chosen you may also feel a muscle ache and possibly one or more small muscle twitches. These are normal sensations to experience during Dry Needling.
There is very little risk associated with Dry Needling if performed properly by a trained physiotherapist. You may experience small bruising around the needle site as with any injection. Rarely, you may have an emotional response and become happy, teary, sweaty or cold. These effects are short lived.
If you are being treated in the neck, chest or shoulder area there is an additional risk that involves your lung. A pneumothorax may develop if the lung is punctured. This is a serious but rare condition for which you should go directly to hospital for. Symptoms of this include shortness of breath which worsens, sudden sharp pain with breathing, inability to catch your breath and bluish colouring to the lips. Medical treatment is highly effective for this rare complication.
Dry Needling And Sinus Problems
Dry Needling
Spring is wonderful but allergy season is not. In fact, it always frustrates me that the most beautiful time of the year is when I feel the worst.
This year I didnt even wait until spring before I started having trouble. If you have grandchildren and you are with them a lot you know that love isnt the only thing they share. Several of mine have had a cold or virus that involved lots of head congestion. This week I felt terrible and my sinuses felt full and painful so I decided to try something a friend told me about dry needling.
The chiropractor in our town, Dr. Kelly McMurtrey, has been helping people with this procedure for over a year. I asked her some questions and Ill share her answers with you here.
Me What is the difference between dry needling and acupuncture?
Dr. Kelly Acupuncture is an ancient system of healing with its own laws and philosophy. It uses theories of meridians to locate pulse points to determine where to place needles. Dry needling is based on a western understanding of anatomy, neurology and physiology to determine where to place the needles.
Me Why is it called dry needling?
Dr. Kelly Because you arent injecting medicine. You are just using needles.
Me What do the needles actually do?
Dr. Kelly The needle itself acts to physically disrupt the tension and pressure within the tissue. Less tension means that the tissue can return to an improved level of function.
Dr. Kelly Probably knees and lower back.
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Dry Needling Vs Acupuncture
When most people are asked to name a medical technique thatinvolves the insertion of thin metal needles into the skin, they will sayacupuncture. What most people dont realize is that there is a similar techniquecalled dry needling that has also been developed to treat pain but is based on acompletely different set of medical concepts.
It is difficult at this point to accurately judge ifacupuncture or dry needling is a more effective form of pain therapy becausethere is limited scientific research into both methodologies. Neither has beena widely used treatment in the West for long, so the medical community is onlynow beginning to seriously investigate their efficacy.
The History of Acupuncture and Dry Needling
The beginnings of acupuncture are somewhat mysterious. Some historians believe that the roots ofacupuncture extend back to the Stone Age when early man used sharp stones todrain abscesses, but others argue that the practice originated in China duringthe Ming Dynasty .
Acupuncture arrived in the West in the 17th centurywhen Europeans first encountered practitioners. This pain relief treatmentdidnt truly arrive in the United States until 1972 when President Nixonwitnessed the practice on his visit to China.
The Philosophies Behind Acupuncture and Dry Needling
In a similar vein, dry needling has a stronger scientificbasis, but due to its relative newness and limited adoption among health careprofessionals, it must still prove its efficacy.
Dry Needling For Tennis Elbow
In the double-blind study, 230 participants evaluated the clinical value of dry needling for the treatment of tennis elbow. The study has shown statistically significant changes in both the active and the placebo groups. There were no major changes between groups in 12 weeks, but significant improvements were noticed in the active group after the 24 weeks.
Another study tried to evaluate if treatment methods with autologous conditioned plasma has advantages over classical ultrasound-guided dry needling. There was a 34% reduction of VAS in the dry needling group and a 48.5% reduction in the ACP group. The authors concluded that more significant clinical improvements are seen in the patients treated with additional ACP.
The third study compared the outcomes of dry needling and first-line treatment consisting of ibuprofen 100 mg twice a day and a proximal forearm brace. Ninety-two patients completed the study, and all were diagnosed with lateral epicondylitis. The first-line treatment group has shown no significant improvements. In contrast, the dry needling group proved effective at three weeks and six months. The authors suggest that dry needling is a safe and effective treatment method for lateral epicondylitis.
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What To Expect At Your Appointment
At your initial appointment, youll sit down with our provider for a consultation. New patients are welcome. If youve already been a patient with another provider here, well already have quite a bit of information about you and have an idea of how best to help you.
The therapy we provide is a combination of traditional acupuncture and dry needling. The needles will be applied and remain in for about 20 minutes. A laser is applied on top of the needles to accentuate the healing. If youre in serious pain, we may dip the needles into an oil to help you start feeling immediate relief.
What Are The Symptoms Of Dry Sinuses
Healthy sinuses are effectively lubricated with a liquid substance known as mucus. When the sinuses lack sufficient mucus, you may experience dry nose and throat as a result of inflammation and irritation.
So, how do you know if your dry nose and throat is temporary or whether you suffer from chronically dry sinuses? Dry sinuses can lead to a wide variety of ailments including: dry sinus headache, dry mouth, sinus pain, and more. The entire list of dry sinuses symptoms are as follows:
- Dry nose and throat
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How Much Does Dry Needling Cost
Before booking an appointment for dry needling, people should contact their insurance company to see if the treatment is covered and, if so, what the company needs to process the claim. The insurance company may also have a list of approved, or in-network practitioners. The price for dry needling sessions varies according to practitioner. Some charge about $40 to $60 per session, others as low as $15 per session.
Usually, people receiving dry needling attend between 3 to 6 sessions. More sessions may be necessary, depending on the pain and responses to the therapy.
The practitioner may offer a value pack of multiple sessions, which can be helpful in the absence of insurance coverage. They may also charge a reduced rate for clients without medical insurance or dry needling coverage.
Risks And Side Effects Of Dry Needling
Although there may be some side effects after a dry needling session, complications are rare. Side effects may include:
-
Sore muscles, which may be immediate or a few hours after the session. A warm compress for 20 minutes several times a day can help soothe the area.
- Temporary increase in the pain symptoms that the needling is meant to treat
The very rare complication associated with dry needling occurs if the needle is inserted far enough to puncture an organ, such as a lung.
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How Is Dry Needling Performed
Dry needling is performed in the providers office or clinic. The patient lies in a position that allows the provider to access the trigger points. Once the appropriate trigger points are located, the provider cleans the skin to reduce the risk of infection, holds or pinches off the area, then inserts very fine sterile microfilament needles into the trigger point. This causes the muscle to contract , and then relax.
The depth of the needle placement varies, depending on the type of pain the provider is treating. Some needles are short and placed only a few millimeters beyond the skin, while others are longer and enter 25 to 125 mm into the muscle and fascia. For some people, the needle may remain only for a few seconds, but for others, it could be as long as 10 or 15 minutes. The provider may also move the needle up and down a few times.
Some people say they do not feel the needles as they enter the skin, while others feel a pinch or a cramping feeling.
The needles are only used once and then disposed of for sanitary purposes.
An Article Included Below From Dr William Teachey On His Success In Treating Chronic Sinusitis With Dry Needling To The Face And Neck Region
Chronic and destructive forces of the right snag immense qualities are vie important and essential. It is the performed and invited with the right and exact conceptions. It is the offered and enhanced wit the good and founded orbit of the times. It is the tool and instrumental forces of the right and considered term.
Health is one of the most important things in life. My sister has sinusitis, and i honestly get alarmed whenever sneezes. I do my best to hide it though. I extremely dislike getting sick, I believe we all have to take care of ourselves the best way we can. I have never heard of dry needling before. It does however remind me of acupuncture. Would they happen to be similar? Thank you for sharing this article. I will consider sharing this with my sister.
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Which Points Target The Sinuses
There are hundreds of acupuncture points across your body. If you try acupuncture, the acupuncturist will take a detailed history of your symptoms before deciding what acupuncture points to use.
Keep in mind that certain points are linked to multiple uses, and not all practitioners use the same points.
Some common acupuncture points used to treat sinus issues or allergic rhinitis include:
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health .
But if acupuncture isnt performed correctly or needles arent sterile, you may be at risk for serious side effects. Licensed acupuncturists in the United States must use disposable needles, so receiving acupuncture from a licensed professional should minimize your risk of complications.
Some people do experience mild side effects after an acupuncture, session, including:
- pain or tenderness around the involved areas
Its also best to avoid acupuncture if you:
- are pregnant, as some points can induce labor
- have a pacemaker, which could be affected by the mild electric pulse thats sometimes used with acupuncture needles
- take blood thinners or have a bleeding disorder
What Kinds Of Pain Does Dry Needling Treat
Dry needling is almost always used as a part of an overall plan that will likely include some type of exercise, manual therapy, heat therapy, and education. Dry needling is used to increase range of motion that may be limited due to muscle tightness or scar tissue. Dry needling may also treat:
- Jaw and mouth problems
- Repetitive motion disorders
- Spinal problems
- Post-herpetic neuralgia
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Treating Sinus Pain With Dry Needling:
The treatment involved in this case is deep dry needling. Different to acupuncture, this treatment involves placing a very small needle into the taut bands in the affected muscles. In doing so, the positioning of the needle provokes a localized twitch response in the muscle, which has been shown to decrease muscle tension. Appropriate release of these muscle groups by a chartered physiotherapist has been shown in many cases to significantly alleviate nasal, jaw and facial pain, as well the sensation of blockage in the sinus.
Studies have shown this method of treatment have highlighted some remarkable cases, where patients with a history of pain for up to 15 years have gained great relief from dry needling after having previously undergone a variety of different medical interventions with no relief. In my own experience, results vary from relief of pain across the frontal sinus to a sensation of a need to drain the sinus following treatment. Follow up treatments often lead to sustained relief from sinus pain.
In Summary:
If you have a history of neck or shoulder pain, no matter how long ago, and also suffer from sinus pain, nasal or facial pain, then a treatment programme involving dry needling may be of benefit to you. An assessment with a chartered physiotherapy will discover whether you have tension in the above mentioned muscle groups and if so can commence treatment immediately.
Dry Needling In Jacksonville Fl
Dry needling is one of many effective tools that can be used for treating migraines. At Dry Needle Pain Relief in Jacksonville, FL, we believe that painkillers or medicines arent the only options for addressing pain. We believe in the power of dry needling as an effective natural pain relief option that can help you stop pain and get back to what you love! At Dry Needle Pain Relief, we bring our experience and advanced training in dry needling to patients across Jacksonville. If you are interested in dry needling for migraines, contact us today to make an appointment.
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Relieves Muscle Tightness And Pain
Instead of treating the general area of the pain, dry needling targets the origin point. For example, if you have shoulder and neck pain, the therapist inserts the needles into the trigger points. It alleviates the pressure and tension in the muscle and releases any inflammation and chemicals. As a result, you may experience immediate pain relief.
Dry Needling Vs Acupuncture: Whats The Difference
While both dry needling and acupuncture use very thin needles, the placement and reason behind the placement are different. Acupuncture, based on traditional Chinese medicine, follows energy channels or pathways. The technique was originally used to balance energy flow by inserting the needles into specific points along the pathways that run throughout your body.
Todays Western practitioners often place the needles at points to stimulate connective tissue, muscles, and nerves. The needles help promote the release of beneficial chemicals to help heal and improve function. It is also used as a method to boost overall well-being and aid in stress management.
In dry needling, healthcare professionals place the needles at or near trigger points in your tissue or muscle. This type of therapy is used to help correct muscle movement imbalances, range of motion and relieve pain. There are different techniques used, depending on your pain and its location.
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So How Can You Do This At Home
There are three major sinuses in your face and they are names after the anatomical names for the bones in your face. You can choose to massage one or two of these sinuses or all three, its up to you!
But here is the how to:
Frontal Sinus
Location: the center of the forehead, right above each eye.
Maxillary Sinus
Location: either side of the nose, below the cheeks, but above the teeth.
Sphenoid/Ethmoid sinus massage
Location: sphenoid sinus can be found behind the nose and between the eyes, just below the pituitary gland. The Ethmoid sinus can be found in the ethmoid bone, the bone that divides the nasal cavity from the brain. Both are targeted in this massage technique.
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