Sasha Digges, PEAK Physical Therapy & Sports Rehabilitation’s physical therapist, discovered dry needling after incurring an injury that would not heal with conventional methods. After receiving dry needling, he realized the Williamsburg and Tidewater area needed this treatment technique. After receiving his extensive training in Colorado, he introduced it to the area with amazing outcomes. Sasha is not only one of the first Functional Dry Needling Specialists in Virginia, but he is an instructor as well for the international teaching organization KinetaCore.
Dry Needling is a neuromuscular treatment for pain, tightness and spasm which commonly follows injuries and often accompanies the degenerative processes. This muscular tightness and spasm will cause compression and irritation of the nerves exiting the spine. When the nerves are irritated, they cause a protective spasm of all the muscles to which they are connected. This may cause peripheral diagnoses, such as carpel tunnel, tendonitis, osteoarthritis, decreased mobility and chronic pain. Small, thin needles are inserted in the muscles at the trigger points causing the pain referral. The muscles then contract and release, improving flexibility of the muscle and decreasing symptoms.
A common question we receive is – Is Dry Needling the same as Acupuncture? The simple answer is…No. The only similarity to acupuncture is the use of a non-injectable needle. Traditional Acupuncture aims to promote health and restore “energetic balance” by stimulating certain acupuncture points found along certain meridians throughout the body. It is one aspect of a Traditional Chinese Medicine approach which includes diagnosis and clinical reasoning using various Chinese medicine assessment methods. Western or Medical Acupuncture also aims to stimulate acupuncture points along meridians, but applies it to western medical reasoning utilizing anatomy and neurophysiology as its basis and not traditional Chinese medicine. DN is based on anatomy and neurophysiology and its aim is to needle altered or dysfunctional tissues in order to improve or restore function. Acupuncture and Dry Needling are very safe and a natural way to relieve pain and encourage the body to promote it’s own healing.
Since introducing Dry Needling to the area, we often receive questions regarding this effective treatment. If you still have any questions after reading this, please do not hesitate to contact us.
