Dry Needling in Appleton, WI
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Dry Needling in Appleton, WI

Healthcare services imageAlmost everyone has experienced that deep, persistent ache of a muscle “knot” that massage can’t quite reach and stretching doesn’t relieve. This stubborn point of tension is often a myofascial trigger point, a small, hyper-irritable band of muscle tissue that can cause significant discomfort, restrict movement, and even refer pain to other parts of the body. At Aascend Chiropractic, we offer Dry Needling, a modern and precise therapeutic technique specifically designed to address these trigger points.

For our patients in Appleton, WI, this treatment serves as a powerful tool to help release deep-seated muscular tension and support the body’s return to normal function. It is important to understand that while Dry Needling uses a thin filiform needle, similar to acupuncture, its methodology and clinical reasoning are entirely different. It is not based on Traditional Chinese Medicine but on Western neuroanatomy and a modern scientific understanding of the musculoskeletal system. The goal is to insert the needle directly into the trigger point, which can elicit a local twitch response, effectively “resetting” the muscle and breaking the pain cycle.

Dr. Benjamin Reineking, Dr. Landra Pierce, and the Aascend Chiropractic team utilize this technique with skill and precision as part of a comprehensive care plan tailored to your specific needs.


Symptoms Treated

The primary focus of Dry Needling is to alleviate the symptoms caused by dysfunctional muscles and their associated trigger points. These trigger points can be the source of a surprising variety of issues, many of which our patients in Appleton, WI experience daily. A trigger point in a shoulder muscle, for example, might not only cause local pain but could also be the source of a persistent tension headache. Similarly, a knot in a hip muscle could create pain that mimics sciatic nerve irritation. At Aascend Chiropractic, our process begins with a thorough examination to identify if muscular trigger points are a contributing factor to your specific symptoms. Dr. Benjamin Reineking and Dr. Landra Pierce use their extensive knowledge of anatomy to locate these irritable spots and understand how they impact your overall movement and comfort. We find that this technique can be a valuable component of a care plan for individuals who feel "stuck" with a chronic muscular issue that hasn't responded to other forms of care. The goal is to provide lasting relief by deactivating the source of the problem. Dry Needling may be used to address patient experiences such as:

  • Chronic Neck Stiffness and Headaches: For individuals who feel a constant tightness at the base of their skull or in their upper shoulders, which often contributes to recurring tension headaches.
  • Deep, Aching Pain in the Lower Back or Hips: A persistent, hard-to-reach ache in the gluteal muscles or lower back that makes sitting for long periods or transitioning to a standing position difficult.
  • Limited Shoulder Mobility: A feeling of restriction or a sharp "catching" sensation when reaching overhead or behind your back, often linked to trigger points in the rotator cuff or surrounding musculature.
  • Athletic Overuse Issues: Nagging pain associated with conditions like IT band syndrome or tennis elbow, which can hinder athletic performance and recovery for the active people in our community.

Benefits of Dry Needling

The ultimate goal of Dry Needling at Aascend Chiropractic is to help our Appleton, WI patients move better and feel better. By targeting and deactivating muscular trigger points, this technique can offer a range of potential benefits that contribute to improved function and a higher quality of life. The most immediate potential benefit is the release of muscle tension and the reduction of pain, but the positive outcomes often extend further. When a dysfunctional muscle is allowed to relax and return to its normal length and function, it can restore healthy movement patterns, reduce stress on surrounding joints, and decrease the likelihood of the problem recurring. This can mean the difference between struggling through a workday with a nagging headache and feeling clear and focused, or the freedom to enjoy a weekend of activity without being held back by muscular pain. The team at Aascend Chiropractic, led by Dr. Benjamin Reineking and Dr. Landra Pierce, views Dry Needling as an effective way to facilitate the body’s healing process and help you get back to living your life more fully and comfortably. Potential benefits you may experience include:

  • Direct Deactivation of Trigger Points: Unlike broader therapies, Dry Needling allows for the precise targeting of the specific, irritable knots in muscle tissue that are the source of pain and dysfunction.
  • Support for Improved Muscle Function: By releasing the taut bands of muscle, this technique aims to restore the muscle’s ability to contract and relax properly, supporting healthier movement.
  • Increased Range of Motion: Patients often experience a noticeable improvement in their flexibility and mobility once the restrictive trigger points have been released, allowing for freer movement of the associated joints.
  • A Powerful Complement to Chiropractic Care: Dry Needling can work synergistically with chiropractic adjustments by relaxing the muscles that may be contributing to spinal or joint misalignments, potentially leading to more effective and lasting results.