Getting to the Point: All About Dry Needling

by Meg Crowley, PT

Though it seems like the newest kid on the block when it comes to physical therapy interventions, dry needling has actually been around since the 1940s as a treatment for pain and myofascial (muscle) trigger points. It utilizes very thin solid needles inserted into symptomatic tissue, primarily skin, muscle and connective tissue. When inserted, the needle creates a micro-lesion, which increases circulation, helps to normalize the inflammatory response, can cause a disruption in shortened tissues (trigger points), and provides input to the nervous system. These effects help to balance the environment within your body to promote healing with the end goal of reducing your pain.

While you may be envisioning the kinds of needles used for vaccinations, dry needling needles are actually extremely thin in diameter and flexible. This allows the needle to be pushed through the skin - instead of cutting the skin - which helps reduce discomfort upon insertion of the needle and makes it almost painless. Some patients do report feeling a dull ache, which is a common and positive response to needling. Other patients report feeling a muscle contraction: this is called a local twitch response, and is normal with needle insertion into pathological tissue. The technique for dry needling is a clean technique, with single-use sterile needles utilized to minimize risk of infection.

This may sound a little like acupuncture, but it is distinctly different: while acupuncture does use needles, its purpose is to change the path of Qi (or energy) along traditional Chinese meridians. Dry needling, on the other hand, is a modern, evidence-based intervention for the treatment of pain and movement dysfunction in common musculoskeletal conditions. All entry-level physical therapists receive extensive education in anatomy and the body’s movement systems, and in order to dry needle, physical therapists in the state of Illinois undergo postgraduate education and training specific to the application of dry needling, with emphasis on neuro-anatomy and how that impacts needle placement. 

So, how does it work? Well, since the body is a highly integrated system - with the nervous system, circulatory system and lymphatic system being primary connectors within the body - the insertion of the needle into tissue can have effects both locally and systemically. Locally, it can help improve circulation and reduce pain. This sets off a systemic chain reaction: the changes in muscle after needling, through the release of potential trigger points, can help improve movement patterns. Improved movement patterns lead to more efficient and effective movements. This in turn equates to less pain and improvement in your ability to perform the tasks you like to do on a regular basis.

As with any procedure, there are potential side effects. Many of these side effects are similar to what might occur after receiving any type of injection from a healthcare provider, with the most common being bruising and/or bleeding. The likelihood of bruising and bleeding is low, occurring in less than 15% of the cases. This is likely because of the small diameter of the needle used. Other adverse reactions that might occur less than 5% of the time include nausea, dizziness, drowsiness and worsening of symptoms, though again these are uncommon. In fact, multiple research studies have shown dry needling to be a very safe practice when performed by well-trained medical professionals.

Interested to see if dry needing can help alleviate your pain? We are now offering dry needling at our Illinois Center location.

Resources:

APTA Public Policy, Practice, and Professional Affairs Unit. (n.d). Description of dry needling in clinical practice: an educational resource paper. American Physical Therapy Association. http://www.apta.org/StateIssues/DryNeedling/ClinicalPracticeResourcePaper/.

Brady, S., McEvoy, J., Dommerholt, J., & Doody, C. (2014). Adverse events following trigger point dry needling: a prospective survey of chartered physiotherapists. Journal of Manual & Manipulative Therapy, 22(3), 134-140.

McCutcheon, L., & Yelland, M. (2011). Iatrogenic pneumothorax: safety concerns when using acupuncture or dry needling in the thoracic region. Physical Therapy Reviews, 16(2), 127.

Sanders, N. (2020, Mar. 13-15).Pain management and sports rehabilitation: integrative dry needling foundation course. Integrative Dry Needling Institute.

Direct Access = Direct Improvement

by Sally Fansler, PT

Did you know that you can schedule an appointment with a physical therapist...without the need for a referral from your doctor?

As discussed in one of our previous blogs, Illinois is now a direct access state, which allows patients to attend physical therapy without a referral from a doctor. This access allows for greater autonomy for both patients and therapists in our state. Since this legislation is only a little over a year old, however, word travels slowly, and many of our patients are not aware of the choices they have when seeking medical care.  

Prior to this advancement in 2018, restrictions on direct access proved to delay the healing process for patients and increase medical expenses by requiring a separate consultation and often additional testing. Patients would often be delayed weeks in beginning their treatment due to the need to schedule an appointment with their primary care physician, and patients who did not have a primary care physician would have to navigate the process of finding someone and becoming a new patient. By making physical therapy more accessible to patients, direct access allows physical therapists to treat patients immediately, leading to more expedient improvement.

Furthermore, multiple research studies have agreed on the benefits of direct access. A study from Georgetown and Johns Hopkins University found that the total paid averaged $2236 for “physician referral” episodes of physical therapy as compared to $1004 for “direct access” episodes of physical therapy. Additionally, the physician referral episodes were 65% longer in duration than the direct access episodes. A similar study from the Journal of Health Services Research analyzed patients with low back pain. Those who saw a physical therapist at the first point of care had an 89% lower probability of having an opioid prescription and a 28% lower probability of having any advanced imaging services. The pattern is clear - lower cost, quicker improvement, and positive outcomes.

Direct access for physical therapy in Illinois has been a long time in the making, and has only been made possible through the expense, time, energy and effort on the part of physical therapists and physical therapy advocates throughout the U.S.to finally allow consumers (like you!) prompt access to physical therapy services.  We are confident that, with fewer barriers, our patients will choose P.T. first! 

Call to Action:

Spread the word!  

At Lakeshore Physical Therapy, we are honored when our patients exercise their right to direct access care from our experienced physical therapists that are fully invested in their progress.

Resources:

Denniger T. et al. (2017). The Influence of Patient Choice of First Provider on Costs and Outcomes: Analysis From a Physical Therapy Patient Registry. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy, 2017, Volume:48 Issue:2 Pages:63-71 doi: 10.2519/jospt.2018.7423

Mitchell J. (1997). A Comparison of Resource Use and Cost in Direct Access Versus Physician Referral Episodes of Physical Therapy. Physical Therapy, Volume 77, Issue 1, 1 January 1997, Pages 10–18, doi.org/10.1093/pti/77.1.10

Frogner B. (2018). Physical Therapy as the First Point of Care to Treat Low Back Pain: An Instrumental Variables Approach to Estimate Impact on Opioid Prescription, Health Care Utilization, and Costs. Health Services Research, 2018 Dec;53(6):4629-4646. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.12984. Epub 2018 May 23.

The State of Rehab 2018

by Sally Fansler, PT It is hard to believe that I have been in the physical therapy industry for more than three decades. Over the course of my career as a physical therapist, I have seen our profession flourish in many different settings. We are able to fundamentally help patients by learning the science of the human body and connecting our skills to restore dysfunction and freedom of movement. There are few experiences more rewarding than to see the pain disappear and the musculoskeletal system change based on the skills we share with our patients.   One of the best ways to grow as professionals is to learn what obstacles we face: based on a physical therapy industry survey with more than 5000 participants, recent trends revealed several stumbling blocks that have cropped up in the field of P.T. One of these is that the trend toward consolidation of clinics to larger companies continued in 2017, which can impart a financial struggle for the one-on-one care business model to compete in a market that is more and more saturated. The study also revealed that for many clinics, the average daily volume of patients increased with more use of assistants and techs. This obviously translates to less time physical therapists can actually put their hands on each patient. Not surprising with the current health care climate, the study noted an intensifying squeeze in insurance reimbursements. The insurance companies have ever-changing rules and regulations, which puts stress on each clinic and each provider. And lastly, the survey noted that each physical therapist spends 20% more time on documentation over the past 10 years due to compliance demands and insurance requirements.   It is not surprising that these factors could change the overall vibe of an outpatient physical therapy clinic. But this same survey also revealed that the number one reason people pursue a career in the field of physical therapy is to help people. That fact translates into genuinely good people with a solid dedication to patient care in our field. I am confident that no amount of frustration over declining reimbursements, increased regulations, or time-consuming documentation can stifle the passion engrained in physical therapists and the physical therapy profession as a whole. Study cited: "The State of Rehab" WebPT

Pain Management: The PT Alternative to Opioid Use

by Stephanie Korso, PT

Pain can make us feel uncomfortable, frustrated, and just plain miserable. It can interfere with our ability to perform everyday activities, like getting dressed and doing household chores. It can stop us from going to work or even fun social events. Who wants to live like that?

With our busy lives and hectic schedules, we tend to look for the easiest and most convenient fix. Often times, prescription pain medications (opioids) seem like the answer. Opioids can be helpful for short periods of time, but our bodies naturally adapt to these drugs with prolonged exposure. To continue feeling the positive pain-relieving effects of these drugs, our bodies require higher doses, which can lead to dependence, abuse, and addiction. Unfortunately, there has been a recent rise in abuse of both prescription and illegal drugs, and prescription pain medications seem to be a gateway to illegal drug abuse.

That's why the White House has an initiative to combat prescription and illegal drug abuse, and the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) has joined this initiative. Research shows that pain can be effectively managed by conservative, non-drug approaches such as physical therapy. Physical therapists are trained in hands-on therapy (manual therapy), exercises (to improve mobility and strength), and modalities (ice, heat, electrical stimulation and ultrasound), all of which can have pain-relieving effects. If pain is interfering with your everyday activities or ability to participate in fun summer events, you may benefit from physical therapy.

Stephanie can be reached at stephanie@lakeshore-pt.com.