Services & Specialties

Services: Trigger Point Dry Needling

David G. Simons, MD, co-author of the Simons, Travell, and Simons Trigger Point Manual, has stated that, “Since no medical specialty claims skeletal muscle as their organ, it is often overlooked.”

Indeed, several studies have confirmed that myofascial pain is one of the most commonly ignored causes of persistent pain. Many of our patients report that previous healthcare providers rarely have included the detailed and specific muscle examination that is common at Bethesda Physiocare. The hallmark feature of myofascial pain syndrome is a so-called “trigger point,” which can be responsible for prolonged pain and dysfunction. A common characteristic of trigger points is referred pain, which may confuse those clinicians who are not familiar with common referred pain patterns. Dr. Janet Travell, MD, perhaps best known as President Kennedy’s White House physician, has mapped out the referred pain patterns of most skeletal muscles.

Although trigger points and myofascial pain are poorly recognized worldwide, there is a growing number of scientific studies that confirm that trigger points are indeed a very common source of pain and dysfunction. Physical therapists at Bethesda Physiocare are very involved with researchers and clinicians worldwide and are among the world’s top specialists in myofascial pain syndrome. Trigger point dry needling is one of the most effective treatment options to inactivate myofascial trigger points.

All physical therapists at Bethesda Physiocare are certified in trigger point dry needling. Jan Dommerholt is the only physical therapist in the United States who teaches trigger point dry needling courses and injection techniques to physicians, dentists, physical therapists, and other eligible health care providers. He has published several articles about trigger point dry needling, including:

• Trigger Point Dry Needling by Jan Dommerholt, Orlando Mayoral del Moral and Christian Gröbli. Trigger point dry needling is a treatment technique used by physical therapists around the world. In the United States, trigger point dry needling has been approved as within the scope of physical therapy practice in a growing number of states. There are several dry needling techniques … read full article (pdf) »
• Dry Needling in Orthopedic Physical Therapy Practice by Jan Dommerholt. Orthopedic physical therapists employ a wide range of intervention strategies to reduce patients’ pain and improve function. From time to time, new treatment approaches are being introduced to the field of physical therapy. The arrival of manual therapy in the United States is a good example … read full article (pdf) »

The sections Resources for Patients and Resources for Professionals on this site feature several other articles about myofascial pain.

For more information about trigger point dry needling and myofascial trigger point therapy, please do not hesitate to contact Jan Dommerholt, PT, MPS, at 301.656.5613 or dommerholt@bethesdaphysiocare.com.

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