Electro Dry Needling (EDN) for Temporomandibular Dysfunction (TMD)
What is Dry Needling?
Dry Needling is a modern, evidence-based treatment technique performed by Doctors of Physical Therapy (DPTs) and physicians (MDs/DOs) using monofilament needles in order to treat many different neuro-musculoskeletal conditions. The term 'Dry' means that no medication is used and this eliminates the risk of negative side effects typically seen with various injections or oral medications. Though the needles used are acupuncture needles, the purpose is not to balance the flow of energy along meridian channels. Rather, the needles are inserted in and around muscles, ligaments, tendons, scar tissue, and nerves in order to modulate pain and stimulate a healthy inflammatory response. This response triggers tissue healing, neuromodulation, and improved tissue structure. Generally, dry needling is typically more localized to site of injury or pain when compared to acupuncture.
Why Dry Needling?
Dry Needling is effective for many conditions, including trigger point pain, chronic pain from diagnoses such as fibromyalgia, tendonitis/tendonosis, nerve pain such as sciatica, referred pain, mechanical pain such as impingement, and headaches (cervicogenic and tension-type). Evidence also supports its effectiveness on joint pain, including arthritis of the shoulder, hip, and knee. Dry Needling can help anyone from young teens to older adults, from sedentary individuals and elite athletes.
Patients may feel minor discomfort during the treatment, but is not any more painful than the discomfort felt during a moderately difficult workout. Afterwards, patients may feel minor muscle soreness, similar to post-workout soreness, but is usually gone much quicker (within 12-24hrs).
Dry Needling for shoulder pain including rotator cuff tears, tendonitis, bursitis, AC Joint pathology, Labral tears (SLAP), and biomechanics impingement.
Dr. Grant Smith, DPT, FAAOMPT, Osteopractor
Why is Dr. Grant considered a Specialist?
Many PTs and DPTs perform Dry Needling. In fact, the state of Georgia only requires two weekend courses! The vast majority of PT’s performing Dry Needling only have the minimum number of training hours required. A handful of therapists end up taking another weekend or two to help satisfy continuing education credits for license renewals, but many don’t. Furthermore, they aren’t required to retest or renew their dry needling certifications at any point. This leads practitioners to continue performing out-dated techniques and possible incompetence.
Dr. Grant is considered a specialist and leader in the field of Dry Needling because of his advanced training and role as Assistant Instructor with the Dry Needling Institute. Unlike most therapists, Dr. Grant underwent an entire year of training and earned a post-doctorate degree in the field of dry needling (Diploma in Osteopractic). Furthermore, he also achieved the status of ‘Fellow’ and became a board-certified specialist in the field of orthopedic manual PT as a specialist in Dry Needling.
As a part of Dr. Grant’s training, not only has he instructed other PT’s, he’s helped Physicians, Chiropractors, and Athletic Trainers become certified in Dry Needling from across the country. In addition, his studies included differential diagnosis and gave him the opportunity to perform Dry Needling on human cadavers dedicated to the field of medicine in order to better study and understand below what we can see at the surface of the skin.
His training sets him far apart from the rest and anyone in the Greater-Atlanta area looking to receive Dry Needling should consider him.