Dry Needling at Reform Physical Therapy

Targeted Muscle Pain Relief Through Specialized Therapy

Dry needling is an advanced technique our licensed physical therapists use to relieve muscle pain, stiffness, and inflammation. During treatment, we insert thin, monofilament needles into tight or irritated muscle tissue—commonly known as “trigger points.” This micro-trauma stimulates blood flow, releases muscle tension, and jumpstarts your body’s natural healing process.

Unlike acupuncture, which focuses on energy meridians, dry needling relies on modern anatomy and neuroscience. Our therapists often combine it with other treatments like manual therapy, stretching, or corrective exercise to enhance overall recovery.

How Does Dry Needling Work?

When muscles become overworked, inflamed, or injured, they often can’t recover on their own. Dry needling accelerates healing by improving circulation, calming the nervous system, and reducing the tightness that limits movement.

In addition, your body releases endorphins—natural pain relievers—during and after treatment. As a result, you may notice less pain, more range of motion, and quicker improvements in function.

This technique works best as part of a full treatment plan. Our therapists assess each patient to determine how dry needling fits into their recovery strategy.

How This Technique Works

When muscles become tight, overused, or inflamed, they often struggle to recover fully. This targeted approach speeds up healing by relaxing muscle fibers, improving circulation, and calming the nervous system. It also helps release natural pain-relieving chemicals that support long-term relief.

Because this method is minimally invasive and focuses on restoring healthy muscle function, many patients experience significant improvements in mobility and pain reduction within just a few sessions.

This approach is not a one-size-fits-all solution. That’s why our therapists carefully assess each patient to determine if this soft tissue technique should be part of their personalized treatment plan.

Conditions We Commonly Treat

Our team uses dry needling to treat a wide range of conditions, including:

Muscle pain, tension, and weakness
Headaches and neck stiffness
Plantar fasciitis and foot pain
Elbow, forearm, and wrist injuries
Knee discomfort and stiffness
Hamstring strains and shin splints
Overuse or sports-related injuries

Many patients find lasting relief with dry needling, especially when other treatments haven’t worked. This technique helps restore balance and movement at the muscular level.

Dry Needling Locations Across Maine

You can access dry needling therapy at the following Reform Physical Therapy clinics:

Topsham
Brunswick
Freeport
Yarmouth
South Portland
Kennebunk
Eliot

Learn More About Dry Needling

Want to dive deeper? Visit these trusted resources to learn more about the science behind dry needling:

–National Institutes of Health (NIH) Review

–American Physical Therapy Association (APTA)

To schedule a session or learn if dry needling is right for your condition, contact us here or call your nearest clinic location.

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Nope! While both practices aim to relieve pain or ailments, they are based on different treatment philosophies.

Dry needling’s aim is to cause a ‘micro-trauma’ which encourages the body to start the natural healing process. Dry needling is used specifically on muscles and trigger points.

Acupuncture is a practice based on ancient Chinese medicine. Its aim is to release endorphins, affect the nervous system, and restore the proper flow of energy throughout the body. Acupuncture involves inserting needles along the meridian lines within the body, which represent different organs and bodily systems.

A trigger point is a tight band of muscle fiber, or knots, located within a larger muscle group. Trigger points are typically tender to the touch and touching a trigger point can sometimes cause pain in other parts of the body.

Some of our patients report minimal discomfort, but most report no pain at all. Occasionally, a mild soreness is reported after treatment, but it is similar to the soreness felt after a tough workout.

Dry needling is included under the general physical therapy codes our therapists bill for. So, as long as it’s medically appropriate and physical therapy is covered by your insurance, you’re good to go. Please note, there is a $5.00 supply fee per session, to cover the cost of the needles and supplies.

The technique uses a ‘dry’ needle, meaning there is no medication or injection inserted with the needle.

The timing is dependent on many factors: severity of pain, density of muscle fibers and tissues, as well as the location of the muscles being targeted. Treatment typically takes between 5 and 20 minutes.

We provide services in Topsham, Brunswick, Freeport, Yarmouth, South Portland, Kennebunk and Eliot, ME.

Learn more about the clinical use of dry needling from the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) and this NIH review on dry needling effectiveness.