Seventeen physical therapists working within the McLeod Health system recently competed a three-day training program to offer a new form of treatment that could provide pain relief for the healthcare system's patients.
McLeod Outpatient Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine hosted the training on dry needling, a form of physical therapy used for pain relief in which the practitioner utilizes a thin filiform needle to penetrate the skin and stimulate both the peripheral nervous system and underlying sensitive spots in the muscles called myofascial trigger points.
"Dry needling can be a powerful 'reset' tool for the pain cycle when used to treat soft tissue pain and dysfunction," reads a release from McLeod Health. "Optimally, dry needling is used in conjunction with a comprehensive therapy plan to include manual techniques and therapeutic exercise."
Dry needling has the capability, the healthcare system announced, to quickly reduce pain, improve range-of-motion and restore function to a patient. In the sports setting, dry needling will be used primarily to treat musculoskeletal dysfunctions such as tendonitis; pain associated with acute/chronic muscle strains; shin splints; and neck, shoulder and knee pain.
Dry needling services are available at McLeod Health Clarendon in Manning, along with McLeod Outpatient Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine in Florence, McLeod Darlington, McLeod Loris Seacoast and McLeod Health Cheraw.
For more information, call McLeod Outpatient Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine at (843) 777-2196.
