Dr. Fishkin was interviewed about Dry Needling for a radio progam, To Your Health, which aired Nov 8, 2011, on Coast Community Radio in Oregon. To hear that interview click here.

What is Myofascial Trigger Point Dry Needling?

Myofascial trigger point dry needling (MFTrPDN) is a treatment to restore proper function to abnormally behaving muscles. These muscles become painful with nodules also called knots and tight bands of muscle that can be painful locally or send pain signals to other locations. The muscles, which contain these abnormal areas are “locked” and cannot function normally, which causes restriction of movement and chronic pain. Many methods of treatment are applied to painful muscles but none are quite as effective, fast acting or long lasting as the treatment known as myofascial trigger point dry needling. These nodules or knots develop from overuse, trauma, poor posture, lack of exercise, sleep disturbances, vitamin deficiencies, joint arthritis or nerves being compressed at the spine and other locations. These painful areas contain biochemicals that cause pain to the local nerves, have decreased oxygen flow (called ischemia) causing further pain resulting in muscle fibers to “lock”. The reason this method is so effective is that it short-circuits the vicious cycle in a very direct way that other methods cannot accomplish. This treatment allows the muscle contracture to release to its normal length, the circulation to improve, swelling to recede and the chemicals to disperse, thereby removing their noxious effect on local nerves.

The treatment utilizes sterile, very thin needles to achieve its goal. The relief is often rapid and the patient becomes relaxed and tired.

Dr. Fishkin is an expert in this treatment. He has developed unique treatment approaches and is a teacher of this treatment to other professionals.

Dr. Fishkin's reputation as an expert clinician and educator in Dry Needling, as well as an innovator and advocate in its use as a chiropractic and manual-medicine treatment modality, has resulted in the Journal of The American Chiropractic Association (JACA) interviewing him for a two-part article about Dry Needling.
Click here to read part one of the article (which was published in the July 2011 issue of JACA).
Click here to read part two of the article (which was published in the August 2011 issue of JACA).