If you're in pain, you want relief. General practitioners can diagnose the problem and, probably, prescribe a painkiller. Unfortunately, this kind of temporary fix can help immediate suffering but does little to heal or promote long-lasting improvement. What can be long-lasting is an addiction to prescription medicine. For this reason, people with chronic pain or muscle injuries may try alternative methods. Dry needling Pennsylvania is one therapy gaining in popularity.

The therapy, developed over forty years ago, is on the surface a combination of acupuncture and western medicine. The true philosophy is different from the ancient Chinese therapy, but for the laymen the similarities help to gain an understanding of what to expect. Needles are inserted through the skin in a manner similar to acupuncture. However, the target is not an energy meridian but a particular area of deep muscle tissue.

Filiform needles are used in many cases. These are solid and usually slightly larger in diameter than an acupuncture tool. In cases where an injection of corticosteroids or other therapeutic substance is called for, hollow hypodermic needles are used. The needle allows the therapist to pinpoint the target and stimulate a muscle or a trigger point.

Muscles can get 'knots', or dense areas of contraction, which can cause pain at the site of the knot or over an entire area of the body. Massage is one way to get these knots to relax and release. However, if the problem is in a deep layer of tissue, manual manipulation may not be enough to relieve soreness and tension.

With a needle, a skillful therapist can reach deeper into tissues than massage can go. The instrument allows precise stimulation, which can release a knotted muscle. Both athletes and sedentary patients experience an increase in muscle tone and flexibility with needling. As muscles relax, the tissue also lengthens and normal movement may be restored.

The treatment is relatively painless in most cases. Most people don't feel the needle pass through the skin, just as in acupuncture. However, the penetration into deep tissue can cause cramping, although this is not usually severe enough to cause more than temporary discomfort. Bruising can result, and some soreness may persist for a day or two following treatment. Soaking in Epsom salts or applying ice packs can help relieve these minor side effects. Mild physical activity is recommended following a treatment, although strenuous activity is not.

Two to four treatments are the usual course, although of course cases vary. Many therapists who work with sports injuries incorporate dry needling in their practices. They like the safety of this protocol, as well as its effectiveness and the rapid relief it can offer. In contrast to intestinal complications and possible addiction that conventional pain killers may cause, the side effects here are usually no more than temporary fatigue and soreness.

Look online or in the local phone directory for clinics which offer this therapy, which is growing in popularity. The staff will be able to explain both the purpose and the practical aspects of therapy. Dry needling holds out hope for those who suffer chronic pain or who have suffered an injury while engaging in their favorite sport. Just think about living without back pain or once again being able to exercise as you wish.