Trigger Points/Dry Needling

Question 0

What are Tender Points?

Answer 0

Produce pain patterns as well as relieve the pattern when massaged

Question 1

When were “Nodules” discovered and what do they mean?

Answer 1

In the 1800’s in Europe and the UK physicians described nodules as bands of muscle fibre that produce local and or referred pain called Myistis or Fibrositis

Question 2

What did John Kellgren do?

Answer 2

In the 1930’s he was a physician who developed an injection treatment process for these tender points and referred pain

Question 3

What did Janet Travell do?

Answer 3

Was a US physician in the 1950’s who described trigger pains and their pain patterns as “Myofascial Pain”

In 1983 with David Simons they published a two volume book of the lower and upper halves of the body called:
Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual

Question 4

What is Dry Needling?

Answer 4

Needling areas such as Trigger Points without injection a substance

Question 5

How to Dry Needle?

Answer 5

1. By palpation find the taut band of the mm fiber and when plucked using cross fiber stimulation it produces a twitch response and may produce a pain radiation pattern
2. Find the TrP and assess the meridian sinew pathway that its in proximity to and needle 1 of 2 points on the meridian to Remove obstruction from the channel (ROTC) such as source and crossing points, after these needles have been retained for 2-3 minutes you can proceed to needling the TrP
3. Needle the TrP for no more than 30 seconds and needle the same angle/depth thats indicated for that specific area
4. If lots of TrP’s in one area use EA for 2-3 minutes at a low frequency such as 5-8 Hz just so the mm twiches
5. Focus on one body area at a time
6. If you know the patients weakness through tongue and pulse end the Tx with a brief “Root Treatment” to offer constitutional support

Ie. If there’s a kidney Deficiency needle K7 (Mother) for 3-5 minutes along with a Du or Ren pt

Question 6

Method of Tx from the book “A New American Acupuncture”

Answer 6

Choose Extraordinary Vessel “Zones” of the body according to Mark Seem

1. When dealing with pain on the posterior aspect such as the back use the Extra Vessel…UB 62 and SI 3
2. When treating pain in the lateral aspect of neck and shoulders use the Extra Vesel…SJ 5 and GB 41