What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture involves inserting and manipulating fine needles into specific points on the body. It is widely accepted in the Western world as an alternative treatment for various medical problems to reduce or relieve pain, improve function of affected areas in the body, and to encourage natural healing. Modern research has shown that stimulating an acupuncture point causes an increase in the production of endorphins and simultaneously activates the immune and endocrine systems.

Dry needling is an effective technique in which a dry needle is inserted into tight or taut muscles to relieve muscle spasm and trigger points. The term “dry needling” is used to differentiate it from “needles”, which involve the injection of an agent, like saline or a local anesthetic. Trigger points are tense bands within muscles that can be palpitated, are tender to touch, and are associated with twitches, coldness, and sweating. They can become so irritable that, when compressed, they create pain in different areas of the body. Dry needling causes the muscle to relax and lengthen, which increases pain-free range of motion while improving the function of the nerve that supplies the muscle.