What is Dry Needling?

If you’ve ever dealt with muscle tension that just won’t quit—no matter how much you stretch, roll, or rest—you’re not alone. Sometimes the discomfort is tucked so deep into the muscle that it feels like your body is holding onto stress like a sponge. That’s where a technique called dry needling might come into play.

At our practice, we’ve seen firsthand how effective this therapy can be for certain patients dealing with stubborn pain, muscle tightness, or movement restrictions. But we also know that the idea of inserting needles into your muscles can sound a little intimidating at first. That’s why we believe it’s important to understand what dry needling really is—and what it isn’t—before you consider whether it’s the right fit for your care plan.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the science, the experience, and the nuances of dry needling, so you can feel informed every step of the way.

Quick Answer: What is Dry Needling?

Dry needling is a physical therapy technique where a trained provider inserts thin, sterile needles into specific “trigger points” in your muscles—those tight, tender spots that can cause pain or restrict movement. The goal is to release that tension and support your body’s natural healing response from the inside out.

More on Dry Needling

Dry needling is a safe and effective treatment that involves inserting tiny 0.25 millimeter-sized needles along a client’s trigger points, which are the tight bands of tissue within a muscle. This practice is done to promote the body’s own healing mechanisms to loosen stiff muscles, ease joint pain, improve blood flow, and promote oxygen circulation within the body. This brings results for individuals who are trying to recover faster from injury, are looking to optimize their sports performance, or prevent issues from becoming chronic.

While dry needling may sound intimidating to some, it is always performed safely when you receive the treatment from a professional physical therapist as they must undergo intensive training to become certified in the practice and will already have a vast knowledge of the human body. They will use individually packed, sterile needles for one site only, and very little (if any) bleeding will occur. As for the pain, there may be a slight contraction or twitch within the muscle that causes a brief pain response, and there may be a bit of soreness for a couple of days following. This is totally normal and nothing to worry about.

Dry Needling Vs. Acupuncture

Now that you know more about dry needling, we will briefly go over what acupuncture is so you can get a better idea about how they differ from one another.

Acupuncture also involves tiny 0.25 millimeter-sized needles that are inserted through the skin at strategic points of the body. What makes it different than dry needling, though, is the fact that it comes from traditional Chinese medicine and is used as a technique for balancing the flow of energy or life force — also known as chi or qi — that are believed to flow through pathways in your body (also referred to as meridians). By inserting needles along these meridians, practitioners of acupuncture believe that your energy flow will re-balance. It is also said to be effective in reducing stress and discomfort associated with a variety of diseases and conditions. Dry needling, on the other hand, focuses on the muscle instead of energy/life force.

History and Evolution of Dry Needling

While dry needling might sound like a modern innovation, its roots trace back further than you might expect. It began taking shape in the mid-20th century, when doctors noticed that inserting needles into muscle trigger points could help reduce pain—even without injecting medication. This approach slowly diverged from acupuncture and took on a clinical identity of its own, especially in physical therapy and sports medicine.

How Does Dry Needling Work?

It’s not just about poking a sore spot—dry needling works by tapping into your body’s natural systems to interrupt the pain cycle. When we insert a fine needle into a myofascial trigger point, it often causes what’s called a local twitch response—a quick, involuntary contraction of the muscle. While it might feel a bit odd in the moment, this reaction tells us we’ve found the right spot, and it’s the muscle’s way of releasing stored tension.

At the same time, needling can stimulate increased blood flow, reduce local inflammation, and even trigger your nervous system to dial down pain signals. It’s a bit like sending in a reset command to a muscle that’s been stuck in a protective holding pattern—tense, guarded, and overworked.

Conditions Treated with Dry Needling

Dry needling is most commonly used to treat musculoskeletal pain—aches and restrictions that show up in your muscles, joints, or connective tissue. If you’re dealing with persistent neck or shoulder tension, low back pain, or that deep, nagging discomfort around your hips or knees, dry needling might be part of a broader treatment plan.

Dry Needling Procedure: What to Expect

If you’re new to dry needling, it’s natural to have a few butterflies before your first session. Knowing what to expect can ease a lot of that uncertainty.

We always start by talking through your symptoms and identifying areas of tension or restricted movement. From there, we gently palpate (feel) the muscles to locate trigger points. Once we’ve identified those spots, we’ll insert very thin, sterile needles directly into the muscle tissue. Most people feel a brief sting or twitch—like a muscle hiccup—but it’s usually short-lived.

After the session, you might notice soreness, like the kind you get after a good workout. That’s your body doing the behind-the-scenes repair work. Some folks feel immediate relief, while others notice improvement over a day or two.

We won’t sugarcoat it: it’s not always cozy, but it is purposeful. One of our patients once described it as “strange, but satisfying”—and honestly, we couldn’t say it better ourselves.

Benefits of Dry Needling

When dry needling works well, it’s not just about pain relief—it’s about function. That means helping you move with more ease, breathe without that nagging tension in your shoulders, or sleep without being woken up by aching hips.

The most common benefit people notice is reduced pain, especially in areas that have felt tight or tender for a long time. But what often surprises our patients is how much better they can move—whether it’s turning their head to check a blind spot or bending down without wincing.

Dry needling may also help quiet down irritated nerves, calm stubborn muscle guarding, and support quicker recovery from injury. For some, it feels like the missing puzzle piece in a broader treatment plan.

Risks and Side Effects

Like most treatments, dry needling isn’t without its quirks. Most people experience mild, temporary soreness where the needles were placed—something we’d compare to post-workout muscle fatigue. You might also see a small bruise or feel a bit of heaviness in the area afterward.

Less commonly, someone might feel dizzy or lightheaded right after a session, which is usually short-lived. Very rarely, if a needle is placed too deeply or technique isn’t quite right, complications like infection or nerve irritation can occur—but those risks are minimal when you’re in trained, experienced hands.

Final Thoughts on What Dry Needling Is

Dry needling is an excellent way to release muscle tension and alleviate pain. Still, it isn’t something to try with just anyone holding a needle. You’ll want to work with someone who’s received specific training in anatomy, safety protocols, and clean technique. Different states have different rules, so make sure your provider is licensed and qualified to perform dry needling where you live.

Here at Jennifer Klein Physical Therapy, we’re trained and licensed to perform this therapy, meaning you’ll know you’re in good hands. Give us a call today if you’re interested in learning more.