Dry Needling
Are you struggling with chronic pain, sports injuries, or limited movement? Take control of your well-being and experience the benefits of dry needling – a powerful, minimally invasive therapy that targets the root cause of your discomfort.
Dry needling utilizes sterile, single-use, thin needles to stimulate the repair of muscles and connective tissue, relieving pain and enhancing overall movement. Under the expert care of Mario Gallina L.AC. CMTPT, Santa Barbara’s leading dry needling specialist, you’ll receive a comprehensive evaluation and a personalized treatment plan tailored to your unique needs.
What is dry needling?
Dry needling is a technique that involves inserting a fine needle into specific locations in muscle or connective tissue in order to relieve pain and improve mobility. These areas, called trigger points, are tender nodules that can cause pain in other areas of the body when pressed or activated. Dry needling can alleviate this pain by deactivating the trigger points and promoting healing in the affected area.
When the needle is inserted into the trigger point, it may cause a twitch response– a brief involuntary muscle contraction which people often describe as a slight pulling or tugging sensation. The twitch may be brief and localized to the area around the needle insertion point, or it may radiate outward to the surrounding muscles.
Soreness is a common side effect of dry needling, often resembling the sensation of a deep tissue massage or the soreness after an intense workout. This soreness typically subsides in 24-48 hours after treatment.
How does dry needling help?
Dry needling works by addressing the underlying neuromuscular imbalances and dysfunctions that contribute to pain and discomfort in the body. The goal is to release tension and improve blood flow in the affected area, which can help reduce pain and improve movement. Additionally, dry needling stimulates the release of the body’s natural pain killers and pain-altering chemicals, activating the body’s self-repair mechanisms.
Many patients feel relief, reduced pain, and improved mobility even after the first session.
How does a dry needling treatment work?
Dry needling targets sensitive tissues that are overworked, injured, or not functioning optimally. These muscles can cause pain in locations distant from where they originate. For example, the upper trapezius typically refers to pain in the head or temples (see illustration).
A standard course of dry needling includes 1-2 sessions per week for 4-6 weeks, followed by a re-evaluation.
Conditions dry needling can help
Dry needling can be used to treat a variety of conditions, including many common repetitive stress injuries, tendonitis, and sports injuries:
- Arthritis
- Chronic pain
- Elbow and forearm: tennis elbow/golf elbow (lateral/medial tendonitis)
- Fibromyalgia
- Foot pain: plantar fasciitis
- Headaches
- Hip pain
- Joint Pain
- Lower back pain: herniated discs, muscle strains, and spasms
- Leg and calf pain: patellofemoral tendonitis,
- Migraine
- Muscular pain and tension
- Myofascial pain syndrome
- Neck pain
- Shoulder pain
- Sports Injuries
- Upper back
- Wrist pain: carpal tunnel syndrome
Mario Gallina L.Ac., CMTPT - Santa Barbara’s Trusted Expert in Dry Needling and Pain Relief
Mario Gallina L.Ac, CMTPT has dedicated over 20 years to treating acute and chronic pain, sports injuries, repetitive stress injuries, and musculoskeletal and orthopedic conditions. His integrative approach includes dry needling, traditional acupuncture, manual therapy, sports taping, and other techniques to help his patients achieve long-lasting relief and peak performance.
Mario is among the few healh care providers in California to be a Certified Myofascial Trigger Point Therapist (CMTPT) by the most rigorous dry needling program in the country, Myopain Seminars.
Ready to start feeling better?
Experience the effectiveness of dry needling under the expert, personalized care of Mario Gallina, L.Ac., CMTPT. Unlock your body’s natural healing abilities and reclaim the active lifestyle you deserve. Schedule your appointment today to discover lasting relief and revitalized well being.