Dry needling is also called trigger‑point dry needling or intramuscular stimulation. A thin, sterile needle is placed directly into a taut band of muscle, the knot you can often feel under your fingers, to make it release. “Dry” simply means nothing is injected; the needle itself does the work.
Physical therapists and physicians use the same technique. At AcuMedGroup it sits inside a wider acupuncture plan rather than standing on its own: Dr. Rusnak uses it where a specific muscle is driving the pain, and combines it with orthopedic acupuncture, cupping or medical massage to keep the release.
What dry needling is used for
- Trigger‑point pain in the neck, shoulders, back, hips and calves
- Loss of range of motion and impaired mobility
- Tension headaches that start in the neck and shoulders
- Tension held from stress or long hours in one position
What to expect
When the needle reaches the trigger point the muscle often gives a brief twitch and then softens. That twitch is the sign the band has released. There may be a dull ache in the area for a day, similar to the feeling after a hard workout, and then the muscle moves more freely. A course is usually short: a few visits, spaced a week or so apart, with exercises or stretches to hold the change between sessions.
Dry needling is one of three techniques inside acupuncture therapy, alongside orthopedic acupuncture and electroacupuncture. Which one you receive, and in what combination, is decided at your consultation.