Trigger Point Needling in Capitola, CA
A trigger point is a knotted, tender area of muscle in which tight, fibrotic bands are shortened and contracted, accompanied by inflammatory mediators that produce pain. Knots form when muscle fibers contract involuntarily and remain contracted, often due to trauma or muscle overuse after injury. As with dry needling, an active trigger point produces local and referred pain; a muscle trigger point in the neck or shoulders, for example, can cause a headache. As muscle fibers shorten, they cause pain and limited range of motion throughout the body.
Using thin, filiform acupuncture needles, trigger point dry needling is a modern technique and clinical procedure that passes through the skin into muscle tissue and surrounding connective tissues to elicit a local twitch response rather than being left in place. Unlike dry needling, acupuncture aims to balance the body's vital energy, and acupuncture needles are typically left in place longer, whereas dry needling needles are not. This is how dry needling works: the twitch can help relax overactive muscles, calm irritated nerves, and increase blood flow to the area.
Our licensed acupuncturists in Capitola tailor each dry needling treatment to you, and patients typically receive individualized care. It is commonly used to treat pain, weakness, and recovery after injury, as part of physical or myofascial therapy.
Many people struggle with painful, tight muscles in the neck and shoulders, and massage often provides only temporary relief. According to the United States Bone and Joint Initiative,about 75.7 million U.S. adults experience neck and back pain. For myofascial pain, musculoskeletal pain, low back pain, muscle strains, tennis elbow, and nerve pain, treatment is too often limited to massage and drug therapy. This trigger point therapy is generally considered safe when performed as a procedure by trained professionals to support patients’ musculoskeletal health, and also used by physical therapists, offering a non-pharmaceutical path to lasting relief.
It can reset over-contracted muscles, relieve tension, reduce inflammation, and promote tissue healing. It is often combined with massage, exercise, and physical therapy as part of a broader treatment plan. During a dry needling session, some sensation and mild discomfort are normal, and a brief muscle cramp or twitch is common. Mild soreness and bruising are typical after treatment, and soreness commonly lasts 24-48 hours. Most patients feel improvement after 2-4 dry needling sessions.
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