TRIGGER POINT ACUPUNCTURE / DRY NEEDLING

Trigger point therapy aka “Dry Needling” /  The Sundala Method™   is an extremely effective technique that uses the insertion of fine acupuncture needles to “deactivate” or “shut down” painful or knotted areas in your muscles. Most of us have areas in our bodies that feel tense or tight and restricted whether due to athletic activities or repetitive strain, poor ergonomics.  When inserting the needle with a specific technique into these tight areas, we elicit a “twitch response” or a brief contraction followed by an immediate and long-lasting relaxation of the muscle fibers which often corresponds with shutting down the pain response.

What is trigger point / dry needling:

1. The needle creates a slight micro-trauma to the underlying tissue.

2. The body recognizes this irritation and creates a histamine response.

3. The histamine corresponds to increase blood flow which floods the tissue with rich oxygenated blood.

4. The oxygen enters the cells of the muscles that have been restricted and allows them to be fed (finally!….restricted tissue and “knots” have poor blood supply and are painful because of their lack of mobility and flexibility).

5. The muscle responds to this new oxygen infusion with an involuntary twitch response. The muscle fibers have been “set free” and will now move with ease and an immediate physical change occurs both to the touch and to the feel of the tissue. The patient often is aware of this and their physical pain diminishes and their control over the muscle increases. It is a quite an extraordinary phenomenon!

Origin of Trigger Point Dry needling

This type of therapy is based on the clinical findings of Dr. Janet Travell, author of “Myofascial Pain Referral Patterns”. Dr. Travell performed extensive research on how fascia (the intricate fabric of connective tissue)  creates specific patterns of pain and when needled correctly at very specific areas, can disengage the muscle and remediate pain immediately.

Fascial Manipulation

Bianca taught a course called “Myology”, the Art of Manipulating Fascial Restrictions, at TriState College of Acupuncture (TSCA) in NYC for 5 years where she was known by her students as the “queen of fascia”.

It can effectively treat any and all pain-related complaints due to muscle, connective tissue, and fascial restrictions.

Bianca uses Trigger Point Dry Needling as part of her comprehensive treatment called The Sundala Method™.

ACUPUNCTURE VS DRY NEEDLING

Please note: CLICK HERE FOR A MORE IN DEPTH UNDERSTANDING OF ACUPUNCTURE vs DRY NEEDLING! Please be an informed consumer when looking for a practitioner who dry needles. Seek out a trained Acupuncturist with this specialty! 

A quick visual to see where trigger points can refer pain and why they’re often overlooked and under treated:

WHAT IS A TRIGGER POINT REFERRAL PAIN PATTERN

This Trigger Point clearly shows how the “Psoas” muscle which connects the back of the body to the front of the body can cause a referral pain pattern to the low back or front of the top of the thigh. The Psoas, when restricted can cause debilitating “back pain”.

This is an example of a rotator cuff muscle causing pain along the outside of the shoulder (often misdiagnosed as “Shoulder Bursitis”) and since the pain referral goes to the hand it can be mistreated and overlooked as “Carpal Tunnel” pain.

An example of how the long muscle in the front of your neck (often indicated after a “whiplash injury” or those that sit at a computer with a forward head posture) can refer pain to the top of the eyebrow, top of the head or cause ear ringing & headaches.

An example of how a Trigger Point in the calf can cause the same pain as “Plantar Fascitis” or “Heel Spurs”: two very common diagnoses of foot pain. Forgo the foot injections and wearing an uncomfortable boot, release the calf and the foot / heel pain often subsides.

WHO GETS TREATED WITH TRIGGER POINT DRY NEEDLING

Professional dancers, athletes, performers, or anyone with myofascial pain is a candidate for trigger point dry needling. It is commonly the last thing looked at in the pain continuum, unfortunately.

Click here for Dr. B’s mention in DANCE MAGAZINE. She treats the Ballet Elite and even went on tour with Usher:OMG Tour for 6 months as his and his dancers’ Health Coach/Acupuncturist/Physical Therapist. Dr. B has been treating with Trigger Point Dry Needling for the past 20 years in private practice.