How Does Dry Needling Help People Receiving Physical Therapy? And Other Frequently Asked Questions

Erica Hwang, PT, DPT, is a physical therapist in Inova Mount Vernon Hospital’s inpatient rehabilitation unit. She is a certified dry needling specialist.

From rehab centers to physical therapy clinics to spas, dry needling is the most sought-after specialty in the rehabilitation world because of its impact on a patient’s recovery journey. Erica answered top questions she received about dry needling.

What does it take to be a certified dry needling specialist? 

Currently I have my doctorate in physical therapy, which has an emphasis on functional anatomy. After a year of clinical practice, a provider is eligible to take the dry needling specialist course. After completion of the course, the provider is required to practice a specific number of hours before providing dry needling for patients. There are two levels in the certification, beginning with simple muscles and then progressing to more complex regions of the boxy. I achieved both certifications, and I’m pursuing further continuing education to learn more techniques.

Why did you decide to incorporate dry needling into your practice?

With the current state-of-the opioid epidemic, pain medication is over prescribed. As a student, I learned that dry needling can improve a patient’s functional mobility by reducing pain. Few things in physical therapy have such a drastic immediate effect as dry needling, and I hope to publish research about its other uses in the future. 

When is dry needling recommended?

Dry needling is primarily used for nonsurgical pain, particularly related to muscle dysfunction. Trigger points are tight bands of muscles, also known as “knots” that develop with poor posture, positioning, or trauma. Dry needling targets these trigger points and allows muscles to function at normal capacity. Dry needling also has growing research to support its use in abnormal neurological tone.

How does dry needling benefit our patients?

Patients have immediate improvements in managing their pain, increased range of motion, or improved muscle tone, so they can fully participate in therapy. Our therapists structure activities so patients can get back to daily life safely. Ultimately, that is the goal of dry needling.

How does dry needing help with pain relief? 

When you get a massage, that mechanical pressure sends a message to the brain to relax your muscles. Dry needling uses thin needles without any medicine (hence the term “dry”) to apply that same mechanical pressure directly to the muscle. Once the muscle is relaxed, it is no longer painful moving through normal range of motion.

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