Dry Needling: A Powerful Piece of the Physical Therapy Puzzle

At Bee Well Physical Therapy, we believe that successful treatment is never one-size-fits-all. Instead, it’s a carefully crafted puzzle made up of various tools, techniques, and strategies that come together to get you moving, feeling, and living better. One of those powerful tools? Dry needling.

What Is Dry Needling?

Dry needling is a skilled technique that can be performed by a certified physical therapists involving the insertion of thin, sterile needles into trigger points (tight bands of muscle tissue) to relieve pain, reduce muscle tension, and improve mobility. Despite how it may look, dry needling is not acupuncture—it’s rooted in modern Western medicine and anatomy, focusing specifically on musculoskeletal dysfunction.

Why We Use It

Dry needling is especially effective for treating:

• Chronic muscle tightness

• Sports-related injuries

• Tendinopathies

• Headaches and neck pain

• Postural imbalances

• Movement restrictions

At Bee Well, our therapists often use dry needling in combination with manual therapy, corrective exercise, gait analysis, and neuromuscular retraining. It’s rarely a standalone solution—but rather a catalyst to help reset the nervous system and create the opportunity for more effective movement.

The Science Behind the "Reset"

When a needle is inserted into a trigger point, it can create a local twitch response—essentially a rapid contraction and release of the muscle. This helps reduce pain, improve blood flow, and restore normal function. Think of it as pressing the “reset” button on an overworked or underperforming muscle.

But just like restarting a computer won’t fix a virus, dry needling alone won’t address the root of your movement dysfunction. That’s why we always follow up with targeted exercises and movement retraining to lock in the changes and build lasting strength and stability.

A Piece—Not the Whole—Puzzle

It’s tempting to want a quick fix, especially when you’re dealing with pain or limitations. And dry needling can absolutely provide fast relief. But long-term results require commitment and consistency, and that means addressing your body as a whole—your habits, your movement patterns, your strength, and your goals.

At Bee Well, we’re not here to chase symptoms. We’re here to build better movers for life. Dry needling is one of the many tools in our kit to help you move from pain to performance.

Curious if Dry Needling Is Right for You?

Whether you're a weekend warrior, CrossFit enthusiast, or just want to feel good picking up your grandkids, we’re here to guide you. Book an evaluation with one of our therapists to see if dry needling fits into your personalized treatment plan.

Bee Well Physical Therapy
Commitment. Consistency. Community.