Although there are many situations where acupuncture / dry needling (DN) can help your muscle and joint injuries, in this content we will specifically discuss 3 reasons to try DN for low back pain. If you’re experiencing low back pain, we will answer some of your questions and show you how it might be able to help you :
- Dry Needling for low back pain provides relief
- Dry Needling can restore motion and improve function
- Dry needling can encourage a healing response
If you’re interested in trying dry needling, here at Elite Performance Therapy we provide dry needling for low back pain in Fuengirola and Riviera.
1. Dry Needling For Low Back Pain Provides Relief
The most common reason we recommend acupuncture / dry needling (DN) for low back pain is that it relieves low back pain the quickest. Whether you’re experiencing acute low back pain or chronic low back pain, if you haven’t tried acupuncture / dry needling (DN) yet, you may be missing out on an effective treatment strategy.
Here’s what a study in the Journal of Physical Therapy Science said about dry needling for low back pain:
“Dry needling can be an effective treatment for reducing pain, number of trigger points, sensitivity, and kinesiophobia in patients with chronic low-back pain caused by lumbar disc hernia.”
Depending on how severe your case of low back pain, other treatment options (like chiropractic and rehab exercises) may not be tolerated initially. It can be difficult for you to move into specific positions and make specific movements that are required for those therapies. In contrast, acupuncture / dry needling (DN) for low back pain relief allows you to relax and lay rather still during treatment, whether that’s lying face down or on your side.
We use dry needling for low back pain at Elite Performance Therapy alongside individualized stretching and a corrective exercise rehab program to get you as much relief as soon as possible. As your pain decreases, dry needling for low back pain may not be needed as much and the focus will shift to stretching and strenghtening the muscles in your low back, core, and hips.
2. Dry Needling Can Restore Motion and Improve Function
If you’re having an acute episode of low back pain you probably feel like it’s hard to move, at least in some directions like bending forward. You also may find it difficult to do things like sit, bend over, or walk, are typically easy.
Maybe you’ve been struggling with low back pain for longer, and have tried other treatments that didn’t give you much relief. Generally, when you’ve had low back pain for a while you’ll lose range of motion and your spinal joints and muscles will stiffen up. This may lead you to avoid certain activities that you could do before because of fear of aggravating your low back.
We see acute and chronic low back pain conditions like this every day in practice, and often we will use dry needling as a strategy to restore normal range of motion. As we improve motion with dry needling, it allows you to get back doing normal activities that previously caused you pain. For some patients, this is as simple as being able to bend over to tie their shoes.
We also use dry needling for athletes when they have low back pain. Since dry needling shows immediate improvements in range of motion, it allows them to return to competing at a high level, faster.
3. Dry Needling Can Encourage a Healing Response
One of the best reasons to use dry needling for low back pain is that it may encourage the injury to heal. Low back dry needling addresses myofascial trigger points, commonly referred to as “knots.” These low back trigger points cause tightness and pain in the low back that contribute to the condition.
One of the things we know about trigger points is that the muscle fibers are not getting good blood full, and therefore not getting sufficient oxygen supply. Dry needling for low back pain increases blood flow to the muscle fibers in the area of needling, and also promotes increased tissue repair.
What to expect during acupuncture / dry needling (DN) session?
As painful as it may look, the insertion of the needles is relatively painless. Every now and then, you would feel your muscles twitch as the needles reach your tissues and muscles. This twitch could feel like a cramp and it may last up to 30 seconds. Muscle soreness commonly occurs and may last up to 24 hours. As this might be the case, you will soon experience the long-term benefits of dry needling.
Want to know more – or any queries?
These are just some of the things you need to know about dry needling and how it can help in alleviating lower back pain. If you want to know more about dry needling, do give us a call or contact us at Elite Performance Therapy. We have some of the best therapists who have the right knowledge, skills, and experience in dry needling. Contact us today!