TDN is a treatment for muscular 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 carpal tunnel, tendonitis, osteoarthritis, decreased mobility, and chronic pain.

What conditions can be treated?
Some of the more common conditions treated are:

• Muscle tightness
• Sports injuries
• Neck and back pain
• Headaches/migraines related to tension and neuromuscular pain within the cervical spine
• Chronic pain syndrome
• Shoulder pain
• Arm pain (tennis elbow, carpal tunnel, golfer’s elbow)
• Hamstring problems
• Calf tightness/spasms

What are trigger points?
Trigger points are extremely irritated contraction knots found in tight bands of muscles. They are a common cause of pain and muscle tightness and can affect the local area of pain. Trigger points can refer to other parts of the body, which can all affect strength, flexibility and coordination of muscles.

How does trigger point dry needling work?
Dry needling is thought to work by disrupting a reflex arc of contracted tissue to allow improved blood flow and healing to the area, as well as stimulating biochemical changes. Dry needling utilizes a very thin filament needle. The needle is inserted into the trigger point and a local twitch response is ideally elicited. This twitch response is an involuntary contraction of the muscle that allows the muscle to relax. The needle used is similar to an acupuncture needle, but it is not considered acupuncture. Electrical stimulation can also be applied to the needle to elicit these twitches to help the muscle relax.

TDN is offered at PSI Sport Medicine West, 1000 Palladium Dr., Gate 3, Scotia Bank Place
613.599.0299

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