Dry Needling / Cupping in Sartell

Dry Needling is a very successful medical treatment that uses very thin needles without any medication (a dry needle) to achieve its aim. Dry Needling in Sartell is used to treat pain and dysfunction caused by a wide range of musculoskeletal problems, sinus trouble, headaches, and some nerve problems. It is not the same as acupuncture. Acupuncture is part of Traditional Chinese Medicine, whereas dry needling is a western medicine technique, which needs to have a medical diagnosis. There is a clear scientific understanding of dry needling and it does not follow meridian based approaches as acupuncture may do.

Understanding How Dry Needling Works in Sartell

Dry Needling works by changing the way your body senses pain (neurological effects), and by helping the body heal itself. There are additional electrical and chemical changes associated with dry needling therapy which assist in the healing process. It is important to see dry needling may act as just one part of your overall rehabilitative treatment.

Your practitioner will choose a length and thickness of needle appropriate for your condition and your body size, and then insert it through the skin at the appropriate place. You will feel a small pinprick. Depending on the type of needle technique chosen, you may also feel a muscle ache and a muscle twitch. These are all normal and good sensations and mean that you will experience good relief from your symptoms. You may experience an increase in pain within 1-3 days after treatment. This is normal and shows positive signs in most patients. In general, there is very little risk associated with this technique if performed properly. You may have a little bruising around the needle site, much the same as you would with any injection. This should clear in a couple of days. Any time a needle is used there is a risk of infection. However, we use only new, disposable, sterile, safe needles, and infections are extremely rare. If a nerve is touched it may cause a brief prickling sensation which is usually brief but may last a couple of days.

Please notify your practitioner if you have any conditions that can be transferred by blood, require blood anticoagulants, or any other conditions that may have an adverse effect on needle punctures. Bruising is a common occurrence and should not be a concern unless you are taking a blood thinner. Please also let us know if you are pregnant, think you may be pregnant, or have an implanted device such as a pacemaker. On some occasions, people may feel very happy, tearful, sweaty, or cold. These symptoms all fade quickly. Fainting may occur in a very small minority of people. There are no lasting ill effects of these side effects. If you are being treated in the shoulder, neck, back, or chest area, there is an additional risk that involves your lung. If the lung itself is punctured, you may develop a condition called pneumothorax (air in the space around the lung). This is a rare but serious problem, and you should go directly to a hospital ER department without panicking if it occurs. The symptoms of this event include shortness of breath which gets worse, sudden sharp pain each time you breathe in, a bluish tinge to your lips, and an inability to "catch your breath". The treatment is very successful for this rare but possible complication.

What to expect after receiving Dry Needling (DN) / Cupping

How will I feel after a session of DN?

• You may feel sore immediately after treatment in the area of the body you were treated, this is normal but does not always occur. It can also take a few hours or the next day before you feel soreness. The soreness may vary depending on the area of the body that was treated as well as varies person to person, but typically it feels like you had an intense workout at the gym. Soreness typically lasts 24-48 hours. If soreness continues beyond this, please contact your practitioner.
• It is common to have bruising after treatment; some areas are more likely than others. Some common areas are shoulders, base of neck, head and face, arms, and legs. Large bruising rarely occurs, but can. Use ice to help decrease the bruising and if you feel concerned please call your practitioner.
• It is common to feel tired, nauseous, emotional, giggly, or "loopy", and/or somewhat "out of it" after treatment. This is a normal response that can last up to an hour or two after treatment. If this lasts beyond a day contact your practitioner as a precaution.
• There are times when treatment may actually make your typical symptoms worse. This is normal. If this continues past the 24 hour - 48-hour window, keep a note of it, as this is helpful information and your practitioner will then adjust your treatment plan based on your report if needed. This does not mean DN cannot help your condition.

Understanding Cupping in Sartell

Cupping is a technique that utilizes negative pressure to stretch superficial structures in the human body including the skin, fascia, and muscle tissue. The purpose of this technique is to increase microcirculation of the aforementioned soft tissue structures to enhance the healing process in the human body.

• Cupping will cause bruising and temporary marks on the skin.
• More severe complications could result in blistering of the skin.