Dry Needling: What It Is, How It Works, and Why It’s So Effective
If you’ve been dealing with chronic pain, muscle tightness, or stubborn injuries that just won’t seem to resolve, you may have heard about dry needling. Maybe you’ve even seen it mentioned on social media or heard another patient talk about how it changed their recovery experience.
At BAR Physical Therapy, dry needling has become one of the most effective modalities we use to help patients reduce pain, improve mobility, and accelerate recovery. Especially when combined with our one-on-one, individualized care model and therapeutic exercises.
In this blog, we’ll explain what dry needling really is, how it works, what to expect during treatment, and why it can make such a dramatic difference for many of our patients.
What Is Dry Needling?
Dry needling is a skilled treatment performed by licensed physical therapists to relieve pain and restore function in muscles, tendons, and fascia.
It involves the use of a thin, sterile, monofilament needle (similar to an acupuncture needle) that is inserted into specific trigger points or tight bands within a muscle. Unlike injections, there are no medications or fluids involved; hence the term “dry.”
When the needle targets these areas, it can trigger a local twitch response, a brief involuntary contraction of the muscle, which helps release tension and normalize muscle function.
While dry needling and acupuncture may look similar, they’re not the same. Acupuncture is based on traditional Chinese medicine and focuses on energy meridians, while dry needling is grounded in modern anatomy, physiology, and neuroscience.
At BAR Physical Therapy, we use dry needling as part of a comprehensive plan of care designed around each patient’s specific condition, goals, and activity level.
How Does Dry Needling Work?
Dry needling works on several levels, both mechanical and neurological, to help relieve pain and improve mobility. Here’s what’s happening under the surface:
1. Release of Trigger Points and Tension
When a muscle develops tight knots or “trigger points,” it can restrict movement and refer pain to other areas of the body. By inserting a needle into that trigger point, we create a brief micro-stimulation that causes the muscle to contract and then relax. This helps reset the muscle tone and reduces tightness, improving range of motion and comfort almost immediately.
2. Improved Blood Flow and Healing
The needle causes a very small, controlled micro-injury thats just enough to stimulate your body’s natural healing response. This increases blood flow and oxygen delivery to the area, helping to clear out inflammatory chemicals and promote tissue repair.
3. Resetting Pain Signals in the Nervous System
Chronic pain often leads to hypersensitivity in the nervous system, where normal sensations start to feel painful. Dry needling helps “reset” how the brain and spinal cord perceive pain by stimulating specific sensory nerves and releasing endorphins.
4. Improved Muscle Activation and Movement Patterns
After dry needling, muscles often function more normally activating and relaxing at the right times. This allows us to retrain proper movement patterns through targeted exercise, leading to lasting improvement rather than temporary relief.
What to Expect During a Dry Needling Session
If it’s your first time receiving dry needling, it’s normal to feel a little nervous but most patients find the process surprisingly comfortable.
Here’s what a typical session looks like at BAR Physical Therapy:
Assessment: Your physical therapist begins by evaluating your pain, posture, and movement patterns to determine which muscles or trigger points are contributing to your symptoms.
Explanation: We walk you through the plan and the why behind dry needling so you know exactly what to expect before any needles are used.
Treatment: The therapist gently inserts the thin needle into the target area. You may feel a mild pressure or quick twitch response, followed by a sensation of release or relief. Some of our patients report feeling nothing at all!
Reassessment: After needling, we’ll recheck your movement and strength, often combining gentle stretching, manual therapy, or corrective exercises to reinforce the results.
Most patients describe the feeling as a brief “muscle cramp” or twitch that quickly fades, followed by a sense of looseness or improved movement.
You might experience mild soreness for a day or two afterwards similar to how you’d feel after a good workout but this typically resolves quickly as your body adapts.
Why Dry Needling Is So Effective
Dry needling is one of those treatments that often provides noticeable results in just a few sessions especially when performed as part of a comprehensive, one-on-one therapy plan.
Here’s why it stands out:
1. It Targets the Root Cause, Not Just the Symptoms
While massage, stretching, or foam rolling can help temporarily, they often only address the surface level of muscle tightness. Dry needling goes deeper to release the true source of restriction, the trigger point itself, leading to more lasting results.
2. It Enhances Other Treatments
Dry needling works best when paired with corrective exercise, manual therapy, and movement retraining. At BAR Physical Therapy, we integrate needling strategically within your session to prepare your muscles for more effective exercise and faster progress.
3. It Helps a Wide Range of Conditions
Dry needling can benefit many common issues, including:
Chronic neck or back pain
Shoulder impingement or rotator cuff injuries
Headaches and jaw pain (TMJ)
Sciatica and hip pain
Tennis or golfer’s elbow
Knee pain or patellar tendonitis
Plantar fasciitis
Post-surgical stiffness or scar tissue
4. It Speeds Up Recovery
By promoting blood flow, reducing muscle guarding, and improving range of motion, dry needling allows patients to return to their normal activities or training routines more quickly and safely.
Why One-on-One Care Matters for Dry Needling
While dry needling is powerful, it’s not a “one-size-fits-all” solution. Success depends heavily on precise assessment, technique, and follow-up care.
That’s where our one-on-one model at BAR Physical Therapy truly makes a difference.
Because your session is entirely focused on you, your therapist can:
Spend time finding the exact muscles contributing to your pain.
Adjust the technique and needle placement based on your response in real time.
Immediately follow up with targeted exercises or manual therapy for lasting results.
This individualized approach ensures you’re getting the safest, most effective treatment possible and that every part of your session is working toward your recovery/functional goals.
Is Dry Needling Right for You?
If you’ve tried traditional therapies and still feel stuck with pain or tightness, dry needling may be the missing piece in your recovery.
It’s safe, evidence-based, and effective for a wide variety of musculoskeletal issues. Whether you’re an athlete, an airline bagger, or recovering from surgery dry needling could benefit you.
At BAR Physical Therapy, we take the time to explain each step, answer your questions, and create a customized treatment plan that fits your specific needs. Our goal is not just to relieve pain, but to help you move better, perform better, and stay pain-free long term.
Experience the Difference at BAR Physical Therapy
If you’re ready to experience how dry needling can transform your recovery, we’re here to help.
At BAR Physical Therapy in Phoenix, we specialize in one-on-one, personalized physical therapy that helps active adults, workers’ compensation patients, and athletes get back to living and performing at their best.
Faster recovery. Better movement. Long-lasting results.
Schedule your appointment today and see how our individualized approach can help you feel your best again.
Author: Wesley Desrosier PT, DPT, CSCS, Cert. DN
Owner of BAR Physical Therapy – Phoenix, Arizona
Specializing in rehab and recovery for athletes, workers, and active adults.