Dry needling
Dry needling is the use of needles as mechanical stimulation for the treatment of myofascial trigger point (muscle contracture). The term “dry” refers to inserting a needle without injecting any substance. Dry needling techniques are classified according to the depth to which the needle is inserted and the fact that the needle reaches or not the muscle tissue. There are two types of techniques:Superficial dry needling: Consist of using a needle to penetrate the skin and stimulate subcutaneous tissues above the myofascial trigger points, reaching a maximum depth of 1 cm, without entering the muscle.
Deep dry needling: There are several techniques, Hong's fast-in, fast-out technique being the most effective one. The speed used for the penetration and removal of the needle from the muscle, produces the response of a local spasm. The technique is repeated until there are no more spasm responses or until the patient's tolerance level has been reached.