History

• Myofacial trigger point refers to areas of focal muscle tenderness and spasm.Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Sasha Wolff
  
  Developed in the 1940s by Janet Travell, dry needling is commonly defined as the use of a solid needle for therapy. Travell, a former medical adviser to the White House was nicknamed "The Mother of Myofacial-Trigger Point Knowledge," according to www.pain-education.com.
  
  

Purpose

• Myofacial trigger points feel like lumps in the muscle and are sensitive to pressure.Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Wonderlane
  
  Dry Needling is used primarily to relieve pain in muscles and connective tissue.
  According to The Maher Sports and Wellness Centre, dry needling can also treat headaches, frozen shoulder, tennis elbow, muscle spasms, hip pain, knee pain and repetitive strain injuries.
  
  

Procedure

• Dry needling requires highly specialized training.Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Wonderlane
  
  During a session of dry needling, a solid needle is inserted directly into the myofascial trigger point. This will prompt a local twitch response (LTR), which is an involuntary spinal cord reflex where the muscle contracts. The LTR is an indication that dry needling has worked properly.
  
  

Terminology

• Dry needling is often called trigger point needling, intramuscular stimulation (IMS) and biomedical acupuncture.
  
  

Fun Fact

• In addition to treating muscle-related pain, dry needling techniques help celebrities, such as Angelina Jolie, keep their skin looking youthful, reports Wrinkle-Free-Skin-Tips.com.