Dry needles

Dry needling is a semi-invasive technique that uses acupuncture needles to treat myofascial pain syndrome, a syndrome produced by trigger points.

• Active trigger point: It is always painful and has a local spasm response to pressure. It does not allow the complete stretching of the muscle and weakens it, in addition to reproducing the pain in areas far from the point where it is palpated.

• Latent trigger point: only hurts when palpated.

• Central trigger point: closely related to muscle fibers that do not work well. It is located near the center of the muscle fiber.

• Key trigger point: responsible for the activation of one or more trigger points in the same area in which the pain radiates, which are called satellite trigger points. When the key trigger point is disabled the satellite trigger points as well.

• Satellite Trigger Point: Trigger point that is activated by a key trigger point.

• Primary trigger point: it is the one activated by a repetitive movement or by an acute or chronic overload without another muscle mediating its activation.

It is semi-invasive, since the needles penetrate the skin, pressing and contracting the trigger point to deactivate it and thus reduce the pain that they produce.

There are different types of trigger points, or they can be in different states. Below we will list and briefly explain each of them: